Governor criticises CM Yogi's administration over corruption
Governor Anandiben Patel raises serious concerns about the functioning of the Yogi Adityanath government.
Why is Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel so angry with her own party's government? Is this a sign of new political change in UP or just damage control politics? On Thursday, Governor Anandiben Patel raised serious questions about the functioning of the Yogi Adityanath government. Patel even went so far as to say that if there is corruption in the Chief Minister's city, what will happen in other places?
On Thursday, during the 45th convocation ceremony of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University (DDU), Patel reprimanded the university and district administration officials. She raised serious questions about the university's infrastructure, hostel facilities, food quality, and construction works in Gorakhpur, the home city of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Addressing the students and officials, Anandiben Patel said,
If corruption and poor-quality work are visible in the Chief Minister's own city, one can imagine the situation in other parts of the state.
She made this remark regarding alleged irregularities related to construction work and student welfare at the university. Criticizing the quality of construction work on the university campus, the Governor said,
The engineering work is "extremely poor." She questioned how such deficiencies could exist in Gorakhpur, the city of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
At the university's 45th convocation ceremony, the Governor awarded a total of 172 medals to 85 meritorious students. These included 80 university medals and 92 donor medals. Among the 85 students who received medals, 63 were female students, meaning about 74 percent of the awards went to women. Meanwhile, 22 male students received medals. Chief Guest Dr. V.K. Saraswat congratulated the graduating students, stating that a degree is not just an academic qualification but also a responsibility towards society and the country. He also praised the role of parents and teachers in the students' success.
Anandiben Patel also raised serious questions about the hostel arrangements at the university. She said that DDU students are ordering food from outside because allegedly food is not being prepared in the hostel mess. Referring to reports of liquor bottles being found outside hostel rooms at Madan Mohan Malaviya University of Technology (MMMUT), she warned that through the arrangement of ordering food from outside, alcohol or drugs could also reach the hostels.
She said,
If students order food from outside through tiffins, then alcohol and drugs can also come through the same means." The Governor said that poor nutrition can have an adverse effect on students' physical health and mental development.
The Governor stated that she has directed universities in Uttar Pradesh to rectify all deficiencies within three months. She mentioned that the ceiling fans in the girls' hostel at DDU were only replaced when the officials were informed of her visit.
She questioned the functioning of local officials, asking why the administration did not take action on these issues earlier. Patel also mentioned that despite being summoned, the District Magistrate and Commissioner did not appear before her. She announced that she would now monitor the situation herself. Anandiben Patel said that her concern for students is not limited to her constitutional position.
She said, "I speak not only as a Governor but as a mother." Some officials managing educational institutions may not like her criticism, but improvement in universities is extremely necessary. The Governor also said that when Indian athletes are consistently winning medals at the international level, the country's educational institutions should also strive to achieve high standards in the same way.
During her stay at the university guest house, Governor Anandiben Patel inspected the kitchen late at night. She claimed that several irregularities were found in the food materials being used there. She then immediately instructed the food department officials to take food samples. Additionally, she took an extra sample, which she said she would take to Lucknow herself for testing. The Governor said she does not fully trust the local level investigations. Referring to an old incident in Gujarat, Patel alleged that once food samples were tampered with on the way to the lab to manipulate the test report. This is why she decided to have the sample tested independently.
The Governor also expressed displeasure over the filth in the university hostels. She said that there were stains of paan and gutkha on the stairs of the hostel at various places. She stated that such a situation is not appropriate for an educational institution. Anandiben Patel also mentioned the visible difference in the health of female students from western and eastern Uttar Pradesh.
According to her, female students from western Uttar Pradesh appear to be more physically healthy, while many female students from eastern Uttar Pradesh seem younger than their actual age, although they are quite capable in their studies. The Governor said that special attention needs to be given to the nutrition and health of students, especially female students, in educational institutions.