Demanding removal of Vice Chancellor of Visva Bharati University Sushanta Datta-Gupta who is accused of sexually harassing a colleague, his predecessor Prof Rajat Kanta Ray today said that his holding of the prestigious post was an insult to Rabindranath Tagore.
"As a vice-chancellor he gives spiritual sermons in the campus on occasions like 'Satoi Poush', '25 Se Baisakh' and '22 Se Shrabon'. It is an offence to Tagore because it was he who used to give sermons, so how can someone accused of sexual harassment carry on the tradition?" Ray, also a noted historian, wondered.
He told PTI that it was outrageous to know that even after an enquiry was pending against him for allegedly sexually harassing a professor during his tenure at the Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences in 2004, he was appointed as VC of the central varsity.
"A committee was formed whose report implied that the case was one of sexual harassment, but the enquiry was not pursued. He should not hold the post till he is cleared of the charges," Ray said.
Datta Gupta took charge as the VC in 2011 after Ray retired.
West Bengal Women's Commission has written to President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding his removal from the post and withdrawal of the Padmashree award.
He has denied all the charges and described it as a malicious campaign against him.
Ray, presently Emeritus Professor of History at Presidency University, said he had left a Pro-VC before retiring but the new VC removed that post.
"He has concentrated all powers in his hands. Moreover, he is not working towards the plan of restoring Visva Bharati to its old glory. The plan was written by Rector Gopal Krishna Gandhi and approved by the then President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam. But he has stopped working on it," Ray alleged.
The plan includes construction of a new 1000-seater auditorium, an art gallery to preserve Tagore paintings and the publication of 'Rachnabali'.
