Economist Abhijit Banerjee to be conferred D Litt at Calcutta University convocation
The university last month decided to confer the D Litt (honoris causa) on Banerjee at its annual convocation to be held on January 28.
Asking the media not to always go for negative news, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday said he is happy that Nobel Prize winner in economics Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee will be conferred honorary D Litt in the convocation of Calcutta University.
The university last month decided to confer the D Litt (honoris causa) on Banerjee at its annual convocation to be held on January 28.
Higher Education Minister Partha Chatterjee on Tuesday asserted that if necessary the CU Convocation will be held without the governer as he has been “consistently making statements targetting the state government.” Asked to comment on this, Dhankhar who is also Chancellor of all the state universities, said, “Why should you ask such negative questions.... Anyone who can be there, I think, has to be there (at the Convocation).” The governor was on December 24 prevented by protesters from entering the Jadavpur University to attend its annual convocation by students and members of the Trinamool Congress Employees’ Union because of his stand supporting the new citizenship law and proposed nationwide NRC.
Terming the economist as “one of the most brilliant minds in the world’ he said, “It is a moment of great pride for all of us. Let us not look into negative aspects, none can have two opinions about it.” “All of us have to believe in optimism, all of us have to think of positive sides. Anyone saying anything (Partha Chatterjee) is entitled to say, but I am concerned about my job - plain and simple,” Dhankhar told PTI earlier on Wednesday.
Asked to comment on vice-chancellors of state universities not attending a meeting called by him on Monday, he said they might have some problems.
“Once I get to know all the situation, then I will know what the problem (behind VCs not attending) is,” he said.
The governor said he will exercise maximum restraint so that careers of students do not suffer.
The Mamata Banerjee government and the governor were at loggerheads over certain issues since Dhankhar’s visit to the Jadavpur University to “rescue” Union Minister Babul Supriyo on September 19.
