Delhi Confidential: Wowing With Vocals

Students of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) were up in arms recently after the institution reinstated a professor accused of sexual harassment. Although the Internal Complaints Committee had found Professor SK Chaube guilty of harassment, the Executive Council of the university, for punishment, decided to censure him. The students’ agitation was called off after BHU sent Chaube on leave and said that the matter would be reviewed by the executive council again. It now turns out that the university stepped back only after the HRD Ministry’s intervention. Ministry officials are learned to have spoken to the BHU vice-chancellor and advised him to reconsider the decision “as per rules”. BHU subsequently announced its decision to send Chaube on leave.

Setting New Goals

With Ladakh, one of the two Union Territories created after the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir, being a region from where the BJP is drawing significant support, Union ministers seem keen on launching new schemes and projects in the region. While Tourism Minister Prahlad Patel has announced plans to visit Ladakh to explore possibilities of tourism promotion, Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur was there on Tuesday. Thakur, a former BCCI president, has announced setting up of a cricket and sports academy in the region to ensure talented athletes get the required training to become part of the mainstream. Thakur has hoisted the Tricolour at Khardung La Pass and interacted with the stakeholders alongside 15th Finance Commission members to understand issues and challenges for people of the region and assured speedy development.