‘Where CM Himself Hails From’: UP Governor Highlights Gorakhpur University’s Shortcomings at Convocation

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel has given a three-month ultimatum to the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University to address infrastructural and operational deficiencies. Speaking at the 45th convocation ceremony at the university, she highlighted alleged irregularities in construction work and student welfare in the university. She questioned the operational and infrastructural deficiencies at the institution in Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath’s home city. “I want to speak about the shortcomings which must be rectified within three months. This is Gorakhpur, where the chief minister himself hails from. Then, how can such conditions continue here?” she said. Patel raised concerns about the hostel facilities and the food served to the students, saying she had personally inspected the kitchen a day earlier. She said that the university has nine hostels, of which three are girls’ hostels, and one of them is being repaired. The remaining six are boys’ hostels, two of which are also being repaired. She raised concerns about the boys’ hostels, where the messes are not operational. Therefore, students are ordering food from the tiffin service. “I am staying here, and yesterday I visited the kitchen to oversee the preparation of the food. I myself am a home-maker and understand the kitchen well. So, I asked what kind of oil was being used. Immediately, I divided the sample into two parts: one remains here, and the other I’ll take with me to Lucknow to get tested. Because you never know, sometimes the samples get replaced before testing,” says Patel. She further stressed the purity of the students’ diet, urging them to stop the tiffin service. As “anything, even drugs, could be brought in through a tiffin”. Referring to the reports of liquor bottles being recovered at the boys’ hostel trash area from Madan Mohan Malaviya University of Technology (MMMUT) during inspection, she warned that the outside food deliveries could become a route for alcohol and drugs. Patel further pointed out other deficiencies in the university’s hostels, including a lack of internet connectivity, power supply issues and paan masala stains over the staircase walls. She mentioned that fans were installed before her visit. The Uttar Pradesh Governor presented 172 medals to 85 meritorious students of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University at its 45th convocation ceremony. She highlighted the trend of female students outperforming their male counterparts, which was reflected in their dedication, discipline and determination. Of the 85 awardees, 58 gold medals were secured by women. Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav shared the Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel’s remarks on X . “ While exposing the flaws of the ‘Gorakhpur Model,’ the discussion of the ‘Gujarat Model’s’ chicanery has also come to light as a comparison. What’s common in both is that there’s a BJP government in both places, and BJP-style mega-corruption as well. The mutual clash has t