Probe to be launched against ex AU V-C

Visakhapatnam : In a significant move, the NDA government finally responded to the irregularities witnessed at Andhra University during the YSRCP’s tenure.

During the Assembly sessions, TDP state president and Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao demanded a vigilance probe into corruption allegations against former AU Vice-Chancellor PVGD Prasad Reddy.

The MLA urged the state government to take a firm stance against financial mismanagement and administrative lapses that took place in the university and initiate stringent action against the VC.

During the Assembly sessions, Palla Srinivasa Rao accused the former VC for converting the university into a hub of malpractices, illegal appointments and misappropriation of funds.

Further, Srinivasa Rao alleged that Rs 20 crore from the RUSA (Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan) grants was misused during Prasad Reddy’s tenure. Also, Rs 25 lakh allocated by ISRO was misappropriated. The MLA called for immediate government intervention, emphasising the need for accountability and transparency in the varsity’s financial dealings in the past five years.

Lashing out at the former Vice-Chancellor, Srinivasa Rao recalled an incident where students’ classes were suspended to facilitate a grand reception for then Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s visit to Visakhapatnam.

He also alleged that the AU administration officials collected bribe from private colleges in exchange for conducting distance education examinations and that it acted in blatant violation of constitutional norms by openly taking sides of the ruling party. “The university was reduced to becoming a tool to play political games, serving vested interests rather than serving its core mission of education and research. Those responsible, irrespective of their stature, must not be spared,” the MLA asserted.

Responding to the MLA’s appeal, Minister for Education Nara Lokesh informed that a committee had already submitted its report on the irregularities. He affirmed that action would be taken once the vigilance probe is completed.

Earlier, the public representatives of the alliance parties in Visakhapatnam expressed their ire over Andhra University former Vice Chancellor for converting the reputed institution into a political centre during their visit to AU.

Appreciating the request for the probe, VMRDA chairperson MV Pranav Gopal recalled that a number of agitations were carried out during the past five years against the irregularities that took place at the varsity. He thanked the HRD Minister for launching the probe into the allegations. Earlier, Anakapalli MP CM Ramesh, Bheemunipatnam MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao, Visakhpatnam east segment MLA Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu and south constituency MLA Ch Vamsi Krishna Srinivas Yadav appealed to Andhra Pradesh Governor S Abdul Nazeer to conduct a thorough investigation into the irregularities in AU and take stringent action against those involved in such irregularities.

South constituency MLA Ch Vamsi Krishna Srinivas Yadav said that the former Vice Chancellor served as a YSRCP activist and misused his post by diverting funds and recruiting ineligible candidates. The former VC appointed hundreds of persons even though they were not qualified and turned the varsity into a rehabilitation centre, he alleged.