MADURAI: Former Principal and Secretary of American College in Madurai Dr.T.Chinnaraj Joseph Jaikumar has written an open letter urging the Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) to initiate the process of removing Dr.M.Davamani Christober as Principal of the college and as university Syndicate member because he is “illegally occupying these two positions’.
An open letter written to MKU Vice-Chancellor Prof.Dr.J.Kumar on March 31st 2023 and sent by registered post was released to the media here yesterday. “Since the Governor of Tamil Nadu had cleared the deck for implementing the much contested 10- year G.O. (G.O. (Higher Education (H1) Department G.O.(Ms) No.5 dated 11.01.2021) on February 28th 2023, I am appealing to the Vice-Chancellor to immediately exercise his executive powers to initiate the process of removing Mr. Dhavamani Christober from the position of Principal of American College and from the position as Syndicate Member of MKU which positions he is illegally occupying,” the former Principal has said in his letter.
Citing about 10 reasons for making this appeal, Dr.Chinnaraj Joseph Jaikumar has appealed to the MKU Vice-Chancellor to immediately enforce the TN G.O. (Higher Education (H1) Department G.O. (Ms) No.5 dated 11.01.2021) limiting the tenure of the college principals to 10 years. “This is of grave concern as someone like Dr. Davamani Christober is illegally continuing as Principal of American College for more than a year beyond the 10-year tenure,” the letter pointed out.
LEGALLY UNTENABLE:
The former Principal also charged that “Mr.Davamani had only used his legally untenable position as Principal of American College to contest in the recent university election to become a Syndicate Member. This has not only seriously vitiated the legal standing of the Syndicate but has raised issues relating to the fair governance of the university. In whatever capacity he contested the election to the Syndicate, his eligibility came only from his ex-officio position as Principal of American College. As per the statute of the university, on 3rd of March 2023, he was only illegally holding the position as the Principal of American College.”
Urging the Vice-Chancellor to take quick action, the open letter has said that “it is quite disappointing that no action has been taken till date asking him to step down as Principal and as Syndicate Member.”
The letter further stated that the Government of Tamil Nadu by adopting the UGC Regulation Notification dated 18.7.2018, passed the G.O. (Higher Education (H1) Department G.O.(Ms) No.5 dated 11.01.2021) directing all the principals who have completed 10 years of service as Principals to demit office and return to their teaching departments.
“By this G.O., Dr.Davamani should have demitted the office already. The Hon’ble High Court disposing off the case filed by the American College faculty and others (WP (MD) Nos. 13488, 13495 and 19374 of 2021) on 04.02.2022, ruled that the G.O. gains force of law only when it is incorporated in the statutes of the university. This has happened now- after the Senate of the university passing a resolution to incorporate the G.O. followed by Governor’s ascent on 28.02.2023,” the letter pointed out.
Several other issues and allegations were also mentioned in this open letter about the Principal’s Ph.D degree, court cases and why the university is not taking action. “The MKU has a statutory obligation to intervene and set matters right. Otherwise, this will be misconstrued as complicity by the university authorities for reasons best known to them. So, I appeal again to the university authorities to initiate action and ask him to vacate the two positions he is occupying now,” Dr.Chinnaraj Joseph Jaikumar has said in the letter copies of which were sent to the Principal Secretary to Governor of Tamil Nadu, to MKU Registrar, Dean (CDC), to Syndicate members, to the Bishop-President of American College Governing Council and to the media.
PRINCIPAL’S REACTION
When contacted by ‘LotusTimes’ today- on April 2nd 2023- for his reaction to this letter and allegations, the present Principal and Secretary of American College Dr.Davamani Christober has totally dismissed the accusations and said that “the matter is in the court and American College is going in a right way now. Dr.Chinnaraj Joseph Jaikumar is spoiling the reputation of the college, and moreover he is no way connected to the current situation in our college. Everything is fine now and I will wait because the matter is in court.”
