[Updated on July 21 and July 26, 2013. Thanked in advance. Thank all stakeholders once again.]
Disclaimer : This is an attempt to give readers another side of the story published in newspapers on IIT Kharagpur which appears to me as ill-conceived or unbalanced. Readers are advised to read this as well as the original articles (link of every article referred to is provided) and have his/her own opinion. The post does not intend to harm any individual or institution but one is free to point if one finds anything objectionable. If justified, I shall act on that part on which objection, if any, is raised.
The newspapers are now flooded with articles on IIT Kharagpur Director appointment. I place here two of my comments to two ToI articles. One is published and one is not published even after several attempts and several hours. The one that is published is available in the comment section of the article, 'Headless' IIT-KGP to go on hunger strike on July 17, dated 13-7-2013 (Link). It is for those to defend the mode they take to make themselves heard - hunger strike etc.. To me, it so appeared that all need to take each other into confidence and the following was my prayer to clear the deadlock over the issue which is dragging for more than a year now and to me it is not helping in anyways.
I read in EFYtimes [Link] the following, "Prof. Chakrabarti’s appointment is pending CVC clearance. IIT Kharagpur’s Board of Governors has cleared Prof. Chakrabarti once in March 2012 and again in March 2013 of any wrongdoing. CVC is still holding on to the clearance due to unknown reasons, even though the CVC rules specify cases must be resolved within two months of filing a defense statement (CVC Guideline No. 000/VGL/18, dated 23rd May 2000)." Probably an RTI could have been filed why so and legal option would have been weighed if requests and representations failed (apparently so). Request MHRD not to misunderstand phrases like 'strong message to MHRD' etc. Please consider it as a kind of frustration and impatience after waiting for a year now. And where will one go to but the MHRD? Confrontation, may kindly be not seen as challenging the authority, but an attempt to make the voice heard which apparently is drowned. Apparently, MHRD is also waiting for signature from CVC which may come anytime soon. Request all stakeholders, MHRD, CVC, IIT community resolve it quickly and for the sake of the country. The tangles if any can be unwound quickly if all concerned exercise goodwill. Thousands of new UG, PG students are to join IIT Kharagpur now [also one full batch of outgoing students are getting placed in jobs and universities]. It does not give them and their parents [industry, other universities] confidence if the matters like Director appointment gets dragged like this. Request all to take each other into confidence for the sake of our love and confidence in this great institute and our nation. Thank you and kindly please, for the sake of all. - Purab
I thank ToI for publishing above comment and give space to readers like us. Today, ToI publishes another article titled, "IIT Kharagpur alumni demands immediate appointment of PP Chakraborty as director" (Link). This article has certain colour where the author instead of reporting facts as they are, apparently tries to muddle the issue further and make the issue more complicated than ever. He makes suggestion to MHRD, finds fault with MHRD etc. He says, "But the larger question is why did the ministry, instead of asking IIT-Kharagpur to start the selection process afresh, waited to give a clean chit to Chakraborty." He apparently finds it difficult to accept what he himself wrote, "Eventually, HRD ministry said "defence of Chakraborty can be accepted"." In between NDTV (Link) and other media reported that Honourable Minister is trying his best to expedite the director appointment. The following comment I tried to post in ToI today as reader's view which thankfully acknowledges the effort of MHRD, CVC and and how IITKGP should look forward and not allow director appointment issue to be a drag. But unfortunately, ToI does not publish this comment, even after showing successful posting (image attached). What is in it that the moderator found unacceptable, compared to other comments seen there? And I tried many times in different hours with same consequence. However, I could slip in one short comment which appears as anonymous(India) where a link to this post is given.
The comment with links added as updates is pasted below. Thanks to all who are in love with this great institution of this nation and who help it to stay focused.
Disclaimer : This is an attempt to give readers another side of the story published in newspapers on IIT Kharagpur which appears to me as ill-conceived or unbalanced. Readers are advised to read this as well as the original articles (link of every article referred to is provided) and have his/her own opinion. The post does not intend to harm any individual or institution but one is free to point if one finds anything objectionable. If justified, I shall act on that part on which objection, if any, is raised.
The newspapers are now flooded with articles on IIT Kharagpur Director appointment. I place here two of my comments to two ToI articles. One is published and one is not published even after several attempts and several hours. The one that is published is available in the comment section of the article, 'Headless' IIT-KGP to go on hunger strike on July 17, dated 13-7-2013 (Link). It is for those to defend the mode they take to make themselves heard - hunger strike etc.. To me, it so appeared that all need to take each other into confidence and the following was my prayer to clear the deadlock over the issue which is dragging for more than a year now and to me it is not helping in anyways.
I read in EFYtimes [Link] the following, "Prof. Chakrabarti’s appointment is pending CVC clearance. IIT Kharagpur’s Board of Governors has cleared Prof. Chakrabarti once in March 2012 and again in March 2013 of any wrongdoing. CVC is still holding on to the clearance due to unknown reasons, even though the CVC rules specify cases must be resolved within two months of filing a defense statement (CVC Guideline No. 000/VGL/18, dated 23rd May 2000)." Probably an RTI could have been filed why so and legal option would have been weighed if requests and representations failed (apparently so). Request MHRD not to misunderstand phrases like 'strong message to MHRD' etc. Please consider it as a kind of frustration and impatience after waiting for a year now. And where will one go to but the MHRD? Confrontation, may kindly be not seen as challenging the authority, but an attempt to make the voice heard which apparently is drowned. Apparently, MHRD is also waiting for signature from CVC which may come anytime soon. Request all stakeholders, MHRD, CVC, IIT community resolve it quickly and for the sake of the country. The tangles if any can be unwound quickly if all concerned exercise goodwill. Thousands of new UG, PG students are to join IIT Kharagpur now [also one full batch of outgoing students are getting placed in jobs and universities]. It does not give them and their parents [industry, other universities] confidence if the matters like Director appointment gets dragged like this. Request all to take each other into confidence for the sake of our love and confidence in this great institute and our nation. Thank you and kindly please, for the sake of all. - Purab
I thank ToI for publishing above comment and give space to readers like us. Today, ToI publishes another article titled, "IIT Kharagpur alumni demands immediate appointment of PP Chakraborty as director" (Link). This article has certain colour where the author instead of reporting facts as they are, apparently tries to muddle the issue further and make the issue more complicated than ever. He makes suggestion to MHRD, finds fault with MHRD etc. He says, "But the larger question is why did the ministry, instead of asking IIT-Kharagpur to start the selection process afresh, waited to give a clean chit to Chakraborty." He apparently finds it difficult to accept what he himself wrote, "Eventually, HRD ministry said "defence of Chakraborty can be accepted"." In between NDTV (Link) and other media reported that Honourable Minister is trying his best to expedite the director appointment. The following comment I tried to post in ToI today as reader's view which thankfully acknowledges the effort of MHRD, CVC and and how IITKGP should look forward and not allow director appointment issue to be a drag. But unfortunately, ToI does not publish this comment, even after showing successful posting (image attached). What is in it that the moderator found unacceptable, compared to other comments seen there? And I tried many times in different hours with same consequence. However, I could slip in one short comment which appears as anonymous(India) where a link to this post is given.
The comment with links added as updates is pasted below. Thanks to all who are in love with this great institution of this nation and who help it to stay focused.
Sincere thanks to MHRD to hear, "Eventually, HRD
ministry said "defence of Chakraborty can be accepted"." The due
diligence MHRD conducted has reached the conclusion which is welcomed heartily.
This is also evident from the volume of the material evidence available in
public domain now [Link]. Report elsewhere published says that MHRD has requested CVC
to expedite, and that before 27th July the decision will possibly be reached [Link]. We
understand that there may be procedure related issues, issues within issues (major
vs. minor penalty), relationship of IITKGP board and CVC in such matters etc. This
may have delayed the clearing of appointment of Prof. Chakraborty. But it is
great to see that MHRD, CVC are not to drag the issue like director appointment
of the prized institution for long (already one year is over) in the interest
of the nation and IIT community that includes important stakeholders like
alumni, collaborators from India and abroad, students and their parents and one
may say that every citizen of this country who take pride in IIT system. Let
MHRD, CVC debate, resolve other matters giving those items due time and consideration.
Let not the 'minor penalty' person suffer the way he is made to suffer for last
5 years or more. The way he has been humiliated, torn in public without
bothering that he too is a family man by attaching terms like 'scam', 'tainted',
for months and years, all the while we find what comes as conclusion - that he
had next to nothing to do with it and his 'defence can be accepted'. Can there
be more penalty than what the person has already gone through for a conclusion
like this? Isn't it that what he has gone through so far is much more than a 'minor
penalty'? Isn't there any principle of natural justice to act urgently and
decisively? I thank MHRD, CVC from bottom of my heart for exercising their
goodwill and resolving the issue by indicating the conclusion they are reaching
which will bring confidence back to the system - that performance counts, sacrifice
for the country matters, love and respect one earns from one and all get
recognized in this country. ToI group has published various article recently on
this - by Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey & Sujay Khanra [July 18 Link], Subhro Niyogi [July 13 Link], Pran
Kurup [July 18 Link], PTI [July 17 Link] and few others under TNN authorship (no specific name of author) [July 21 Link, July 21 Link2, July 21 Link3] ... This article and other articles by this particular author in the past
has a colour of its own [Check Link1, Link2]. And it would be interesting to find if there had been
a systematic attempt denigrate this great and loved institute, IIT Kharagpur or
settling of personal score. But let that wait or be ignored, now that we see
the main person behind Vision 20-20 announced by President of India in last IITKGP
convocation [Link1, Link2], Prof. Chakraborty assuming charge soon, let IITKGP Community (faculty-students-alumni-collaborators)
now focus their effort to reach the goals which President of the country has
set and not allow such an issue be a drag. In hope and prayer, Purab
Update from July 21, 2013
Posted following comment in today's ToI article (Link) without being anonymous. Wonder why it is not getting published so that reader's opinion counts.
Thanks ToI for this article which reports facts as they are unlike what Mr. A Mukul tried to write in yesterday's article. As per ToI article of yesterday MHRD has said that "defence of Chakraborty can be accepted". Elsewhere it is reported that MHRD will appoint Director by 27th July. Sincere thanks to MHRD and CVC for listening to the voice of all stakeholders and indicating what we can expect soon. There might have been some complication for which there is this delay. Or there could be other cases to look into for which this did not get attention. Now those being matter of past, let us bury them and work together to take this great institute forward for which the first Prime Minister of independent India had this to say, "Here in the place of that Hijli Detention Camp stands the fine monument of India, representing India's urges, India's future in the making. This picture seems to me symbolical of the changes that are coming to India." For the sake of the nation, let us harness all our positive energy and move forward. Thanks to all. Let us stand by the incoming director who as MHRD indication goes will be Prof. Chakraborty. Ironically, Prof. Chakraborty has already suffered much more than 'minor penalty' through media trial, public humiliation that used terms like 'scam', 'tainted' when the material available in public domain and conclusion reached by MHRD shows what had been his role. Let us put this debate to rest and show the world that "WE CAN". In prayer, Purab of purabspeaks [dot] blogspot [dot] in
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Update from 26.7.2013. A big THANKS to MHRD, CVC and all stakeholders.
Excerpts from ToI report [Link] published today.
After many months of wrangling P P Chakraborty has been finally cleared for the post of director at IIT-Kharagpur. The Central Vigilance Commission's (CVC) clearance came late on Thursday. The HRD ministry was under tremendous pressure fromIIT-Kharagpur alumni association and other industrial bigwigs to get go ahead for Chakraborty. On Saturday when the convocation takes place IIT-Kharagpur would finally have a director.
This has been my comment to that article which does not appear yet [update: it appears for a change!] in the comment section.
It is better not to write "under tremendous pressure" and question the wisdom and capability of MHRD and CVC. Rather it should be seen as collective goodwill that was generated to get rid of the issue that was dragging for a year. Every stakeholder - MHRD, CVC, Alumni, Faculty, Collaborators, Students, Parents, People and above all TRUTH come as a winner. Warm congratulations to Prof. Chakraborty! A lot of expectation is built around him and IIT Kharagpur in public space. Let all stakeholders extend a helping hand to him and IIT Kharagpur. [It is no prize. It is greatest of the responsibility to lead an institutuin which epitomizes the aspiration of modern India.] May God grant Prof. Chakraborty the strength for he is taken up the cross. I had thanked in advance to all in my blogpost. Thank you once again. Let us work together to rebuild India and make our nation proud. In prayer, Purab of purabspeaks [dot] blogspot [dot] in
Update from July 21, 2013
Posted following comment in today's ToI article (Link) without being anonymous. Wonder why it is not getting published so that reader's opinion counts.
Thanks ToI for this article which reports facts as they are unlike what Mr. A Mukul tried to write in yesterday's article. As per ToI article of yesterday MHRD has said that "defence of Chakraborty can be accepted". Elsewhere it is reported that MHRD will appoint Director by 27th July. Sincere thanks to MHRD and CVC for listening to the voice of all stakeholders and indicating what we can expect soon. There might have been some complication for which there is this delay. Or there could be other cases to look into for which this did not get attention. Now those being matter of past, let us bury them and work together to take this great institute forward for which the first Prime Minister of independent India had this to say, "Here in the place of that Hijli Detention Camp stands the fine monument of India, representing India's urges, India's future in the making. This picture seems to me symbolical of the changes that are coming to India." For the sake of the nation, let us harness all our positive energy and move forward. Thanks to all. Let us stand by the incoming director who as MHRD indication goes will be Prof. Chakraborty. Ironically, Prof. Chakraborty has already suffered much more than 'minor penalty' through media trial, public humiliation that used terms like 'scam', 'tainted' when the material available in public domain and conclusion reached by MHRD shows what had been his role. Let us put this debate to rest and show the world that "WE CAN". In prayer, Purab of purabspeaks [dot] blogspot [dot] in
-------
Update from 26.7.2013. A big THANKS to MHRD, CVC and all stakeholders.
Excerpts from ToI report [Link] published today.
After many months of wrangling P P Chakraborty has been finally cleared for the post of director at IIT-Kharagpur. The Central Vigilance Commission's (CVC) clearance came late on Thursday. The HRD ministry was under tremendous pressure fromIIT-Kharagpur alumni association and other industrial bigwigs to get go ahead for Chakraborty. On Saturday when the convocation takes place IIT-Kharagpur would finally have a director.
This has been my comment to that article which does not appear yet [update: it appears for a change!] in the comment section.
It is better not to write "under tremendous pressure" and question the wisdom and capability of MHRD and CVC. Rather it should be seen as collective goodwill that was generated to get rid of the issue that was dragging for a year. Every stakeholder - MHRD, CVC, Alumni, Faculty, Collaborators, Students, Parents, People and above all TRUTH come as a winner. Warm congratulations to Prof. Chakraborty! A lot of expectation is built around him and IIT Kharagpur in public space. Let all stakeholders extend a helping hand to him and IIT Kharagpur. [It is no prize. It is greatest of the responsibility to lead an institutuin which epitomizes the aspiration of modern India.] May God grant Prof. Chakraborty the strength for he is taken up the cross. I had thanked in advance to all in my blogpost. Thank you once again. Let us work together to rebuild India and make our nation proud. In prayer, Purab of purabspeaks [dot] blogspot [dot] in
Another report published by Indian Express today [Link] says,
The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) on Thursday finally gave the nod to the HRD Ministry to appoint Prof Partha Pratim Chakrabarti as director of IIT-Kharagpur. Top government sources said the CVC gave the professor a virtual clean chit in the Coalnet scam. Keeping in mind the minor penalty recommended against him, the CVC also asked the ministry to 'advise' the professor to be more careful in future.
Sources said the ministry will follow the CVC advice and formally appoint him as IIT-Kharagpur director.
MHRD earlier accepted the defence of Prof. Chakraborty. CVC tells that Professor to be advised to be more careful in future. This is what has been pointed out in various posts of this blog in the the past contrary to some media people portraying Prof. Chakraborty as gory villain remaining blind to factual matters available in public domain. However, TRUTH wins.
Indian Express further reports that IIT Kharagpur has issued Memo now to other two persons named. This could be the missing link leading to procedure related delay at CVC end. One would have expected this matter not getting dragged to this extent, addressing issue sitting across the table taking each other into confidence. But let us not brood over the past. Let us take the learning points from this episode and move forward.
Thanks to All.
Indian Express further reports that IIT Kharagpur has issued Memo now to other two persons named. This could be the missing link leading to procedure related delay at CVC end. One would have expected this matter not getting dragged to this extent, addressing issue sitting across the table taking each other into confidence. But let us not brood over the past. Let us take the learning points from this episode and move forward.
Thanks to All.
