Seeking more choices, President Pranab Mukherjee's office has returned to the HRD Ministry a file recommending nomination to a vacant seat in the Executive Council of the Aligarh Muslim University.
Earlier, the names of senior TV journalist Rajat Sharma and eminent scientist Vijay P Bhatkar, who is also the National President of RSS-linked Vijnana Bharati, had been returned by the President. Three of the 28 members on the AMU Executive council are recommended by the Ministry for which the President's nod is necessary as he is the Visitor of the institution. This is not for the first time that the President has taken a view different from that of the Smriti Irani headed HRD Ministry.
It is learnt that the President had ignored the HRD Ministry's recommendation while choosing M Jagadeesh as the JNU Vice Chancellor. There have also been reports that in the matter related to former Visva Bharati VC Sushanta Dattagupta, who was eventually sacked, the President's office and HRD ministry had certain differences.
