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Gaurav Raghuvanshi

Anand , April 1

THE daily engagements card on Dr Verghese Kurien's table said it all. The only entry for April 1 was: "10:30 - IRMA board meeting???"

On a day marked by intense drama, the board of the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA) virtually gave the marching orders to its Chairman, Dr Kurien. On the other hand, Dr Kurien questioned the legality of the board meeting that was convened by IRMA's Director and ex-officio Member Secretary, Prof. K. Prathap Reddy.

"You cannot call some people from the road and call it a board meeting. As per IRMA rules, a board meeting can only be convened by the Chairman and presided upon by him. It appears to me that there is a conspiracy to capture IRMA," Dr Kurien said.

Four of the seven persons who attended the board meeting today had ceased to be directors after their two-year term expired in February, he said, adding that they had not been re-nominated.

Dr Kurien said that he was considering stepping down. "But I will step down only when I choose to do so. Pushing me is not the way to get rid of me. I am not willing to be pushed out," he said.

The battle between IRMA founder Dr Kurien and his opponents is being fought in the courts as much as the lush green environs of the prestigious institution. Early in the morning, a petition challenging the board meeting came up before the Civil Court at Anand. The Court ordered status quo on the board of directors till April 11 and posted the matter for hearing on that day.

The Court also observed that only the Institute Chairman could convene a board meeting and not the Secretary. Further, the Secretary cannot fix the agenda "as per his personal wish", the court observed.

The lawyers of both the camps, however, claimed it their victory. Counsel for Prof. Reddy, Mr Chandrakant Dave, said that as the court was silent on the issue of the board meeting, it could be held as scheduled.

On the other hand, Mr M.N. Suthar, who represented the petitioner, Mr Sangram Singh Chaudhury of the Banaskantha Cooperative Dairy, said that the court order meant that status quo had to be maintained and the board meeting could not be held as it had not been called by Dr Kurien.

Under the present rules, the power to convene a board meeting rests solely with the Chairman. Mr Suthar said that if the board meeting was held despite the court order to maintain status quo, it amounted to contempt of court.

Interpretations of the court order apart, the meeting did go through with seven members who are opposing Dr Kurien's continuation as the life-time chairman of the Institute. The board elected Ms Neelima Khaitan, Chairperson of Sewa Mandir, a non-government organisation based at Udaipur, as the Acting Chairperson to conduct the meeting.

Ms Khaitan said after the meeting that the board has constituted a three-member committee to look for a new Chairman of IRMA and is expected to submit its report by April 15. She said that the committee may even suggest Dr Kurien's name, who, according to her was the `de-facto' but not the `de-jure' Chairman of IRMA.

If that was meant to be an offer of a compromise to Dr Kurien, he was totally unwilling to consider it. Dr Kurien rubbished Ms Khaitan's claim saying: "I am the Chairman".

A report on the performance of Institute Director, Prof. Reddy was also tabled but not discussed, she said.

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