Shillong, Feb 12: President of India, Droupadi Murmu, on Sunday appointed Phagu Chauhan as the new Governor for the State of Meghalaya.
Chauhan has previously served as the 29th Governor of Bihar. He is a former member of 17th Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh from Ghosi, a seat he won a record six times, representing various parties like Lok Dal, Bahujan Samaj Party, and Bharatiya Janata Party.
In July 2019, Chauhan was appointed the 29th Governor of Bihar.
During his tenure as Governor of Bihar and also as ex-officio Chancellor of State Universities, many universities got tangled into multiple scams, which came into light after Bihar Government’s Special Vigilance Unit raids. One of which was the case of Magadh University, wherein its Vice Chancellor Rajendra Prasad was booked under Section 420 of IPC for Rs. 30 Crore fraud. His homes were raided which was first for a VC of University.
Chauhan as Chancellor of the University didn’t sack the VC who also hails from UP as does Chauhan which fuelled some speculations. The VC went on medical leave and thus leaving the position de-facto vacant. He said the vigilance raids were not good for the University as it created environment of fear.
VC, Exam Controller along with other staff were brought from other Universities and given additional charge. Due to all this, Magadh University’s academic session suffered longest delays in recent times as multiple exams are pending.
Multiple protests erupted over these issues in which effigies of the Governor were burnt, which in itself is new as Governor is a respected constitutional position.
Students of this University expressed their frustration to Governor Chauhan over delayed session and exams not being conducted and demanded permanent Vice Chancellor and staff or his resignation.
Further, in February 2021, the Governor had axed 12 assistant professors of Rajendra College in Chapra for dancing to Bollywood tunes with students, as well as suspended its principal, triggering charges of “moral policing”. The event was the birth anniversary of India’s first President, Rajendra Prasad, after whom the college is named. Chauhan had also suspended three professors of Jai Prakash University, to which Rajendra College is affiliated, for failing to carry out an “impartial” inquiry into the controversy.
