Visva-Bharati Vice-Chancellor Bidyut Chakraborty on Friday claimed that a section of people are using the fund-starved central university "as the goose which lays golden eggs".
Addressing a gathering to observe the International Mother Language Day in the campus, Chakraborty also came down heavily on those "trying to malign" the institute founded by Rabindranath Tagore.
"Many people are using the Visva-Bharai as the goose which lays golden eggs," he said adding that the university is going through a financial crisis and "is in ventilation".
The VC's outburst was aimed at the media, local traders and hoteliers as well as Left-leaning teachers, students and a section of those "who visit Rajghat wearing caps on Gandhiji's birthday".
Chakraborty observed that his detractors never speak out against "some people who pay tributes to personalities like Gandhiji on his birthday, talk about the simple lifestyle of the Father of the Nation. But they themselves do not believe in those words and are mired in corruption."
He, however, did not name anyone.
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Chakraborty said despite attempts made by some people who spread "false and distorted news" about the institute, Visva-Bharati will keep its pre-eminence intact.
He charged a section of the media with creating a controversy over rendering a Tagore song in Hindi in the campus on Thursday.
A group of people said it is highly uncalled for to change Tagore's original lyrics in Hindi and render them at a prayer in Visva-Bharati.
The VC said he was hurt for being subjected "to verbal abuses" by some traders during a recent agitation over retaining stalls at the famous 'Pous Mela' which is organised by the university in December every year.
"Those who never leave an opportunity to criticise the VC preferred to keep quiet as it was he who was abused. They did not consider the fact that the VC's post is being maligned," he said.
Chakraborty said, "I deplore those who had doctored and distorted a video and upload it in social media for the sake of sensationalism."
He was referring to a video, probably shot on January 7, in which a male voice is heard asking someone to teach a lesson to certain Left-leaning students.
On January 8, Leftist students stalled a seminar on Citizenship (Amendment) Act where BJP Rajya Sabha MP Swapan Dasgupta was invited to deliver a lecture.
In a dig at a section of Left-leaning teachers and students, he said had they been really concerned about the institute, they should have prevented those "who want to earn money by maligning the Visva Bharati."
PTI contacted the VC to know about the reasons behind his outburst but the calls were not taken.
Condemning Chakraborty's statement, a leader of the SFI Visva-Bharati unit said, "He has been making such statements on a regular basis. It is unbecoming of a VC of Visva Bharati.
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