Udaipur: MLSU V-C Faces Backlash Over Controversial 'Aurangzeb an Efficient Administrator' Remark

Udaipur– The Vice-Chancellor of Mohanlal Sukhadia University (MLSU), Prof. Sunita Mishra, is facing intense criticism following allegations of misconduct, mental harassment, and a controversial remark calling Mughal emperor Aurangzeb an "efficient administrator."

Prof Sunita Mishra delivered a key address in an event "Indian Knowledge System: Roadmap for Developed India 2047" organised at the Mohanlal Sukhadia Universirty last week. In a speech in Hindi, she spoke about the traditional depth of the Indian knowlege system and how this has taught Indians to address global challenges. During this narrative, she stated that from a historical perspective, we hear about the life and times of many rulers and emperors like Maharana Pratap, Prithviraj Chauhan and Akbar. She further added that "many good kings are remembered for their skills, and some, like Aurangzeb, who was an efficient administrator".

The statement, combined with her administrative decisions, sparked outrage among academic and non-academic organizations, student leaders, and research scholars. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has held a strong protest on Monday demanding to remove the KulGuru and also calling for reinstatement of expelled student leaders.

Chaos prevailed inside the university campus as students took out a mock funeral procession, burnt effigy of the vice chancellor and pelted stones at the administrative building. Additional forces had been deployed to contain the situation that remained tensed for over an hour during the demonstration.

Though Prof Mishra issued a public statement clarifying her intentions behind the speech. She stated, "The speech I delivered at the international conference was misrepresented. If you listen to the entirety of my speech, you will not find any instance where I praised Aurangzeb. I provided various historical references. As a non-Hindi speaker, there can be some misunderstandings with the language during the listening process. My intention was never to offend anyone. I apologize if my statements have caused any distress to anyone.."

Allegations of Misconduct and Mental Harassment

It is not just the Aurangzeb remark that has triggered the student community. The memoranda submitted by various organizations paint a grim picture of the university’s administrative environment under Prof. Mishra’s leadership. The accusations include claims that her behavior has led to widespread dissatisfaction among all sections of the university community, including academic and non-academic staff, research scholars, and students. It is alleged that her conduct, exacerbated by her controversial remark praising Aurangzeb, has been so oppressive that several employees have been forced to opt for voluntary retirement or relinquish significant posts to escape mental harassment.

According to the complaints, Prof. Mishra’s decisions have alienated virtually every group within the university. “No section, be it academic or non-academic, is satisfied with the Vice-Chancellor’s functioning,” one memorandum stated. It further alleged that those who oppose her decisions face severe consequences, including removal from their positions or being coerced into requesting voluntary transfers.

Notices Issued to Senior Officials

In an unprecedented move, Prof. Mishra has issued notices to the university’s Registrar and Financial Controller, accusing them of failing to comply with her directives. Sources claim this is the first instance in MLSU’s history where the Registrar has been served a notice for non-compliance. Similarly, the former Financial Controller, Seema Yadav, and the current Financial Controller, Poonam Mehta, have also received notices for allegedly not adhering to the Vice-Chancellor’s instructions. These actions have further fueled discontent among the university staff.

In addition to the allegations of misconduct and the controversial remark, employees have raised concerns about the Vice-Chancellor’s handling of the Self-Finance Advisory Board. Despite the board’s long-standing operation, Prof. Mishra is reportedly planning to overhaul the system, leading to delays in salary disbursements. Employees have been forced to stage protests two to three times this year to demand timely payment of their salaries, even after orders from the state government and the Higher Education Department.

Furthermore, new recruitment processes have introduced conditions that could exclude employees who have served the university for 10 to 15 years, adding to the grievances of the staff. Efforts to reach Prof. Sunita Mishra for her response to these allegations and the controversy surrounding her Aurangzeb remark were unsuccessful, as she could not be contacted at the time of reporting.