BHU Chief Proctor ON Singh quits after inquiry report

In less than 24 hours after Varanasi Commissioner Nitin Gokran submitting his report, the Benaras Hindu University (BHU) Chief Proctor ON Singh resigned, or rather was forced to quit, late Tuesday night taking moral responsibility of September 23 violence and police lathicharge following a case of molestation in the BHU campus.

The varsity Vice-Chancellor Prof GC Tripathi has accepted his resignation. Dr MK Singh, Dean of Student Welfare and Head of the Eye Department has been made the new Chief Proctor of BHU.

Talking to media after his resignation, Singh alleged that student leaders from Jawaharlal Nehru University and Hyderabad Central University provoked female students to hold dharna in order to oppose Prime Minister's visit to his constituency. He admitted that the administration was unable to provide adequate security cover to female students due to shortage of security guards and CCTV cameras.

ON Singh's resignation came after multiple inquires and a report by Nitin Gokran, Varanasi Commissioner, blaming the BHU administration of inept handling of the molestation incident. The Commissioner, in the report, said the BHU administration did not handle the issue in a sensitive manner which led to violence and police lathicharge.

BHU sources, however, told DNA that the V-C made the Chief Proctor a sacrificial goat to save his own skin. Action against Prof Tripathi was not initiated at the moment since he is retiring in November and report of judicial inquiry is awaited.

With less than two months to his retirement, all his executive powers will cease to exist and he will remain powerless to take any policy decision till his superannuation.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said judicial inquiry will also probe the role of the BHU V-C. "Action will be taken after probe is completed," he said.

The CM has directed all universities in the state to establish dialogues with students and attend their problems and complaints on priority basis.

"Any repressive measures against students will not be tolerated," he added.

Earlier, the SHO Lanka Police Station Rajiv Singh was sent to lines and Circle Officer Bhelpur Vinay Katiyar was shunted. The state government had also shunted three Additional City Magistrates including Manoj Kumar Singh, Jagdamba Parsada and Sushil Kumar following violence and lathicharge on September 23 in the BU campus.

Along with the V-C, students are now targeting Dr O.P. Updhayaya, who was made Acting Medical Superintendent (MS) by Prof Tripathi about a year and half ago. Dr Updhayaya was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment in Fiji on rape charges.