Dharmendra Pradhan slams Bengal education minister for calling VCs who met him as 'slaves'

Kolkata: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday slammed West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu for calling the five vice-chancellors who had met him as 'slaves' saying such remarks are inappropriate for someone of his stature.

Pradhan argued there was nothing wrong if some VCs meet him. "A person who is the education minister of West Bengal is an educated person. Such demeaning words should not be used by an education minister," Pradhan told reporters at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport before his departure from Kolkata.

"If a few VCs and principals meet me and I discuss education matters with them then there is nothing wrong in it. There is no dictatorship going on here. In democracy, one has the freedom to go to anyone he/she likes. What is the objection?" he asked. The Union minister further said that the manner in which Basu is insulting his own state by using such language does not suit him.

Hours after the VCs met Pradhan at a hotel, Bratya Basu posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), "5 slave VCs of State-Aided Universities so “authorised” by Mr. Bond (Or Dipak Chat by Swapnakumar?) met a Central BJP Minister today! Hopefully the Hon’ble Courts are watching! #Tyranny#Bengal Higher Education system destroyed!"

On Basu comparing Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose with James Bond and Dipak Chatterjee, a fictional Bengali detective, Pradhan pointed out that one should not forget to maintain dignity. "The Governor has his own role and responsibilities. If he expresses his opinion on a matter and if a wrong medium is chosen to refute that opinion, it is not right,"

The Bengal government has been at loggerheads with the governor over appointment of VCs in universities. Earlier, Basu was apparently upset at a section of the VCs for not allowing the registrars to meet him on expenditure revision issue.