Governor talks tough

‘‘It won’t be fair to say that those probing the Telgi case can’t be trusted, but it’s always better that people who are not concerned with them in any way conduct the probe,’’ Fazal said. He, however, wasn’t able to suggest any specific agency for the investigation.

The Governor, who is also chancellor of all universities in the state, said he was concerned about manufactured PhDs and liberal promotion of students by means of ATKT (allowed to keep term).

Fazal said: ‘‘I’ve called a meeting of vice chancellors to discuss the matter and may issue a unilateral order making 70 the minimum percentage of marks for PhD registration.’’

Even as some student representatives waited outside to meet him over the ATKT issue, Fazal expressed displeasure that students failing in as many as four subjects were being promoted. ‘‘How will we compete with the rest of the world?’’ he asked. The Governor also stressed on the need to discipline the affairs of private engineering and medical colleges.

Regarding the ‘‘injustice’’ to Vidarbha in allocation of funds, Fazal cited paucity of resources as a reason. ‘‘But I have told the Chief Minister that I would like to see the broad parameters of the 2003-04 budget and he has agreed,’’ Fazal added.

During his Vidarbha tour, Fazal said, he was going to meet people who feel that nobody reaches out to them. Among the places he will be visiting are the Naxalite dens of Bhamragarh and Melghat.

On the Vidarbha statehood agitation, Fazal took a strong line against the demand for smaller states. ‘‘What have we achieved by creating Jharkhand and Uttaranchal? We shouldn’t forget that national or state boundaries are historical occurences,’’ he observed.