Soni is V-C again, in Ahmedabad

AHMEDABAD: Manoj Soni, the controversial former vice-chancellor of MS University of Vadodara was appointed vice-chancellor of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University. He will take over from Dr Avdhesh Kumar Singh whose term ends on Friday.

Soni, who is an alumnus of MS University and teaches political science at SP University in Vallabh Vidyanagar, was seen as right-winged and was in the news almost throughout his three-year tenure in Vadodara in 2003-06. It is said that he used to be Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s speech writer.

Celebrated as the youngest V-C in the state at 39 years in 2003, the high point of his controversial stint in his alma mater was the vandalising of an art exhibition by BJP leader Niraj Jain at the faculty of fine arts, on grounds that it had obscene depiction of Hindu Gods.

The student, Chandramohan, whose works were put up as part of his examination submissions, was arrested and his results were withheld. Acting dean of the faculty Shivji Panicker remains suspended and was forced to go underground when Soni refused to support the student or the faculty.

When the government appointed a committee, headed by the governor with Dr YK Alagh, painter Haku Shah and Gujarat Vidyapith V-C Sudarshan Iyengar as its members, Soni did not allow them to probe the issue, saying MSU had its own committee. This committee had recommended that Panicker apologise, but the stalemate continues. Soni will be the second SP University faculty to head this university after Dr Amrapali Merchant, who headed Ambedkar University before Singh.

Soni was member of this open university’s executive council when Merchant was its V-C. Both Merchant and Soni are said to be close to revenue minister Anandi Patel.

Source: timesofindia