BOMBAY: Sir Chimanlal, in a statement on Mr. Rajagopalachari’s Convention Address at Nagpur says: —

“I am very surprised that a person of Mr. Rajagopalachari’s understanding should have so far forgotten himself as to use or rather misuse the privilege of delivering his Convocation Address at the Nagpur University, for propaganda purposes — regarding an acute political controversy:

“It is a sin to disturb the serene academic atmosphere of a University by the thunder and storm of political polemics. I am not saying anything about the merits of what Mr. Rajagopalachari said. With much of what he said, many people would be in agreement, particularly his denunciation of the policy of non-cooperation and shirking of responsibility by the Congress party. My complaint is against his outpouring — declamation against the Congress and the Muslim League in a University Convocation Address.

“During my 12 years’ tenure of office as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bombay, I delivered several convocation addresses, I confined myself to principles and policies of education and never allowed myself to take advantage of my position in the University to propagate and further the political objective of myself or the party I belonged to.”

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2019