No interference by Smriti Irani or HRD Ministry in Allahabad Varsity affairs: VC tells Ansari

Allahabad University Vice Chancellor Ratan Lal Hangloo has written a letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman Mohammad Hamid Ansari in which he has declared that there has been no interference in the affairs of the university by the Centre, the Ministry of Human Resource Development and HRD Minister Smriti Irani.

Copies of the letter have reportedly been forwarded to the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and the HRD Minister's office, Vice Chancellor Hangloo said.

Hangloo appears to have taken a U-turn a day after accusing the Centre of its alleged growing ''political interference'' in the administrative matters related to the functioning of universities.

In his letter, Hangloo said, "This is to state that we are trying to reinforce the dignity of the Allahabad Central University with our thrust on high end research and development, and the Honourable Minister of Human Resource Development Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani has always encouraged us with her rare flash of brilliance. There have been twisted statements by the press and media which should be ignored in totality."

The letter further went on to say, "The Honourable Minister of Human Resource Development Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani or any of her officers has never interfered with the functioning of this university."