AMRITSAR, July 4 — Dr Joginder Singh Kairon, Director, Punjab State University Textbook Board, has been unceremoniously removed by the state government. Dr Madan Lal Hasija, Director, Language Department, Patiala, has been given dual charge of the board. Dr Hasija has taken over the new assignment with immediate effect.

Talking to TNS on telephone, Dr Kairon said that as per the orders of the state government he had been sent back to Guru Nanak Dev University as Reader, Punjabi Department, with immediate effect. He, however, said Master Mohan Lal and Mr GPS Sahi, Minister and Secretary, Higher Education, respectively, had no locus standi to remove him as the board came under the Ministry of Languages, the portfolio of which was being held by the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, himself. He alleged that Mr Sahi had been misguiding the minister. He also alleged that with his removal as Director, the process of winding up the prestigious board had been initiated.

Dr Joginder Kairon, has claimed that the Punjab and Haryana High Court had stayed the “arbiterary” orders of the Punjab Government which had removed him as Director.

Dr Hasija when contacted on telephone confirmed he had taken over additional charge of the board.

However, Mr Amarjit Singh, Special Secretary, Education, when contacted by TNS said Master Mohan Lal being the Chairman of the board was competent to remove the Director. He informed that the step of removing Dr Kairon was taken in wake of the financial crunch being faced by the board. He said the board had been shifted to Patiala. The staff which was required for running the board and the assets would be transferred to Patiala. The surplus staff would be transferred to the deployment cell of the state government for absorbing them in other departments.

On the other hand, Dr Kairon said the board was “wound up” as the entire assets, including the Rs 70 lakh central grant, had been transferred to the Language Department, Patiala. Dr Kairon, who was appointed Director of the board in May last year, has claimed the general council of the textbook board was competent to relieve him.

However, the Special Secretary, Education, Mr Amarjit Singh, claimed the textbook board would continue functioning.

On the other hand, the state government has convened a high-level meeting at Chandigarh to decide the fate of the textbook board on July 8. Dr Kairon alleged the forthcoming meeting was illegal and the Chief Minister should immediately intervene to save the board from being wound up. He said the board had done a commendable job so far as the publication of books was concerned.