Mumbai, August 27: Protests erupted outside the Vice Chancellor’s office at Gujarat University on August 25, led by the National Student Union of India (NSUI) and Congress leaders, who accused the former Vice Chancellor, Neerja Gupta, of corruption amounting to ₹40 crores. The demonstration was sparked by allegations that ₹9.84 lakhs were transferred to a foreign bank account belonging to Gupta’s son from a grant received under the Prime Minister’s Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK).
Protesters threw fake currency notes of ₹100, ₹200, and ₹500 inside the VC’s office, which were captured in videos showing the notes scattered across desks and floors.
The NSUI claims that Gupta, who was appointed as the first female Vice Chancellor in the university’s 70-year history, misappropriated funds by designating herself as the principal investigator and collecting a monthly salary of ₹4.20 lakhs without proper approval from the syndicate.
In response to the allegations, NSUI and Congress have warned of escalating protests, including a potential blockade of the interim Vice Chancellor’s access to the university if their demands are not met.
Gupta’s profile highlights her proficiency in multiple languages, including Hindi, Sanskrit, English, Gujarati, Marathi, Assamese, Urdu, Odia, Pali, and Prakrit, as well as Russian and Greek.
This incident has raised significant concerns regarding governance and accountability within educational institutions in the region.