File Photo: St Stephen's College in New Delhi
St Stephen's College's Supreme Council today passed a resolution stating that its alumni have not right to interfere in its internal matters even as a group of former students alleged "rampant illegalities" in the functioning of the college and sought the HRD Ministry's intervention.
The Association of Old Stephanians, a body not recognized by the college, today released a 'White Paper' detailing alleged financial and administrative illegalities in the college and also sent copies of the same to the PMO and the HRD Ministry seeking their intervention.
The alumni association, which has been raising allegations against college principal Dr Valson Thampu, was joined today by Delhi University Teacher's Association (DUTA) which alleged inaction by DU Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh despite repeated complaints to him.
"Given the rampant illegalities that plague the running of the college, it has now become imperative for urgent intervention by the HRD Ministry as well as a comprehensive audit by the office of CAG," the association's media coordinator Ashish Joshi told reporters in New Delhi.
The 'White Paper' has raised several allegations including the appointment of Dr Thampu being illegal in view of improper qualifications, illegal appointment of college chairman, improper functioning of the Governing Body and victimisation of several persons by principal leading to litigation in courts.
The college's Supreme Council, which is the decision making body of the institution, resolved that certain alumni are resorting to "false propaganda" and the college shall not be forced to deviate from "its time tested traditions, conventions and convictions, nor forego its Constitutional rights, through any tactic or strategy based on it."
"Members of the Supreme Council in its meeting today expressed their disappointment at the false propaganda against the college involving certain alumni and others who have been misusing their media connections for this purpose.
"The council also noted with concern that the Christian character of the greatly reputed minority institution has been, and is being, attacked in order to degrade it," Dr Thampu told PTI.
The resolution passed by the Council stated, "the alumni have no right to interfere in the administration and internal life of the College. Only the Supreme Council and the Governing Body, with the Principal who is mandated to be the executive organ of both, are competent in this respect.
"The role of the alumni is to build goodwill towards their alma mater, not to defame or distort its image in public," the resolution said.
It also appealed to the public not to be misled by the malicious campaign against the college, which is "motivated" and "baseless".
The college has been in news recently over suspension of a student-run e-zine by the principal for not seeking his clearance and over the allegations of the college deliberately hiring only Christian teachers.
The alumni group has been demanding that the university takes an action against the principal and remove him from office after conducting a thorough probe into the allegations. In the 'White Paper', the alumni have also alleged improper utilisation of government grants to college, non-distribution of laptops provided by university to students.
The association has also questioned certain cases of admissions into the college alleging "favouritism" to certain people.
"We have been raising allegations over the functioning of the college and have also sought intervention of the varsity authorities. However, having exhausted all avenues, we have sought the government's intervention as both DU and Stephen's are institutions of national repute," Mr Joshi said.