Article 371 (J) Anushtana Kavalu Samiti, a forum for overseeing the implementation of Article 371 (J) of the Constitution, has criticised the University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, (UAS-R) for not making appointments for vacant posts though the government has given its nod for the same.
Addressing a presspersons here on Thursday, samiti leaders V.A. Malipatil and Raghavendra Kushtagi alleged that varsity’s Vice-Chancellor P.M. Salimath was reluctant to make appointments.
“Of the 1,494 sanctioned posts, 862 are lying vacant. The State government had, in October last year, given approval to fill all the vacant posts, including 226 A Group, 16 B Group, 363 C Group and 257 D Group posts. Even 10 months after the approval was given, the recruitment process has not been initiated,” Mr. Malipatil said.
He urged the Vice-Chancellor to initiate the recruitment process and ensure that people of the Hyderabad-Karnataka region are recruited under the quota as per the provisions made under Article 371 (J) of the Constitution.
Mr. Kushtagi alleged that the VC had vested interests in indefinitely postponing the recruitment process.
“Mr. Salimath wants to appoint the non-HK candidates as recommended by BJP leader and former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and Agricultural Minister Krishna Byre Gowda. In fact, these are the two leaders who had backed Prof. Salimath’s candidature for the post of Vice-Chancellor even though there were many better candidates for the post. We will not allow the varsity to deprive the Hyderabad-Karnataka region candidates of their legitimate reservation rights,” Mr. Kushtagi added.
UAS-D domination
Mr. Kushtagi observed that the UAS-R was completely being dominated and dictated by the top brass of University of Agricultural Sciences – Dharwad (UAS-D).
“Even six years after being carved out of UAS-D to be formed an independent university, UAS-R continues to be dominated and dictated by UAS-D. Y.B. Patil, Director of Education at UAS-D, with active support from Raj Bhavan, is controlling the UAS-R. He has played an instrumental role in delaying the recruitments in UAS-R,” he charged.
Mr. Kushtagi said that he would raise the issue in the meeting that the government had called in Bengaluru on Friday for discussing the impediments in implementing Article 371 (J) of the Constitution.
He set a 15-day deadline for varsity to start the recruitment process. “If the process is not started within a fortnight, we will mobilise the Hyderabad Karnataka region people against Prof. Salimath,” he said.
