Amartya Sen claims political interference at Nalanda started last year

Refutes MEA contention that he had jumped the gun and no decision on Chancellorship had been taken yet

A day after Nobel laureate Amartya Sen alleged political interference in academic institutions and withdrew his candidature for a second term as the chancellor of Nalanda University, Sen told television channels that the trend had started last year itself.

Sen said the government had “unilaterally” informed the governing board of the university that it would be reconstituted without consulting them, in complete violation of the statute. Without mincing his words, Sen said, “I have not been a fan of (Narendra) Modi but that has nothing to do with my role as Chancellor of Nalanda University.”

In an interview to Karan Thapar on Headlines Today, Sen refuted the ministry of external affairs’ contention that he had jumped the gun and no decision on the issue of chancellorship had been taken as yet. Sen said he was willing to reconsider staying on as chancellor if the government gives assurance that there won’t be any political interference.

In an interview to NDTV’s Barkha Dutt, he said, "As an Indian voter, it is my liberty to like a candidate or not. On the other side, it's for the board to decide on the chancellor. If the government has taken a view - I don't know whether the PM had but if he had - it would be asymmetric because it's not his role."

Detailing how the governing board was being “slighted” by the ministry increasingly, he told Headlines Today, that the government was violating the international character of the university. Admitting to becoming “disheartened” and in a “lame duck position”, Sen said it was his colleagues and governing board members who unanimously decided he continue for a second term.

Highlighting another instance of government interference, he said the board had revised several statutes but the government ratified only some of them.

Assessing the performance of the Modi government, he said he was “disappointed” but as an economist he was more concerned whether the poor were being adequately taken care of. “There have been many statements by Modi but not much action,” he said.

In his interview to NDTV too, Sen spoke of being “saddened” at the overt political interference in academics. He also confessed, “I do not know why the Social Science award in my name (started by the Congress government) has not been announced this year.”  He said he was “saddened” by this.