51. Suspended VC SGPC president trade charges

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 2

Suspended Vice Chancellor Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia has accused SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar of being responsible for “92 illegal” appointments, including that of his grandson as Deputy Director, Youth.

The SGPC president, when questioned on the issue, hit back at Ahluwalia, saying he had awarded three increments to seven members of his personal staff within a period of six months and enhanced the salary of a woman employee within five days of her appointment.

Makkar claimed the woman employee was recruited 10 days back despite the fact that her services had been dispensed with by the earlier acting Vice Chancellor.

Ahluwalia claimed that Makkar had suspended him because he had failed to follow his directions on “justifying” the 92 appointments after these were challenged in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Ahluwalia said the petition before the court claimed that a sum of Rs 7 crore was spent on various purchases but there was hardly anything in the stock registers and only vouchers for payments. Ahluwalia, likening Makkar to a ‘mahant’, claimed that despite his services to the university, he was eliminated from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Fourth Centenary Trust which runs the university.

The SGPC chief said Ahluwalia was a “liar”. He said his grandson was associated with the university since 2006. “It was Ahluwalia who sent a written note to me, stating that being a Chancellor’s relative did not bar my grandson from serving in the university”.

Makkar said all the 92 appointments that Ahluwalia was objecting to now had been advertised by him. “ Since Ahluwalia was in hospital with a bullet injury, these were filled after following due procedure.” He said Ahluwalia had been unable to explain the increments to a chosen few without the sanction of the university trust. The SGPC president said Punjabi University Vice Chancellor Jaspal Singh and two others had been made trustees.

War of words

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president is responsible for "92 illegal" appointments, including that of his grandson as Deputy Director, Youth

— Dr JS Ahluwalia, suspended Vice Chancellor

Ahluwalia gave three increments to seven members of his personal staff within six months and enhanced the salary of a woman employee within five days of her appointment

— Avtar Singh Makkar, SGPC president