Gehlot asks Raj govt to consider decision to close down univ

Calling it "arbitrary" and "anarchic", former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot today demanded that the state government reconsidered its decision to merge Harideo Joshi University of Journalism and Mass Communication with Rajasthan University.
"The decision is not only unfortunate, but arbitrary too," he said.
Harideo Joshi University was established in 2012 by an Act passed by the state Assembly. Gehlot, who was the chief minister at that time, claimed that any change in its status required legislative approval. "It cannot be merged with another university just by virtue of a government order," he said.
He alleged that ignoring an Act passed by the Assembly and the fact that the matter was pending before the High Court, the government has shut down the institute and moved its staff and students to Rajasthan University.

Gehlot wrote on his Facebook wall that this decision of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje smacked of "arrogance and political vendetta" and it was an "anarchic one" by the BJP government which was aimed at undoing a good decision taken by the previous Congress regime.
"It is a rare case in educational history that a full-fledged state Government University has been closed and the staff merged with a department of another university," he wrote.
He alleged that the BJP spoke of skill development but shutting down the institute showed that the party believed in "kill development" and added that the decision was against the interest of students.

Describing the institute as one-of-its-kind in the field of journalism, the former chief minister said had the government allowed it to function, it would have become a centre of excellence in due course of time.