SIDDHARTHANAGAR: Uttar Pradesh minister Satish Chandra Dwivedi's brother Arun Dwivedi, whose appointment as assistant professor at a university here under the economically weaker section quota sparked a row, resigned on Wednesday.
Speaking to news persons, Arun Dwivedi said the registrar of Siddharth University, Rakesh Kumar, informed him that his resignation had been accepted.
"I was appointed on the post on the basis of my qualification as per the proper procedure, but it is my misfortune that soon after I joined, there has been an effort to tarnish the image of my elder brother by linking it (my appointment) to him in the media and social media," he added.
Arun Dwivedi asserted that the appointment was made on the basis of his qualifications.
He added that he is a PhD, a gold medallist in MA, and has done his JRF and SRF from the Defence Institute of Psychological Research (DIPR), DRDO.
He further said that 17 of his research papers were published, adding that he has edited a book as well.
Arun Dwivedi mentioned that he resigned as he was under severe mental stress due to the controversy over the appointment.
"I do not want baseless allegations levelled on my brother because of me. I cannot bear this," he said.
"There is nothing more important than the social and political honour of my brother and my family, not even this important post. And so, with full responsibility, I have given my resignation today (Wednesday)," Arun Dwivedi added.
He said he had applied for the post in November 2019 with an EWS certificate issued to him based on his economic condition at the time.
He added that even though he got married to a woman working in the Education department later, it was his right to keep the certificate.
Arun Dwivedi further said that he had got the job after completion of all formalities, including an interview, and his brother had no role in it.
The state minister's brother was appointed assistant professor in the psychology department of the Siddharth University under the economically weaker section (EWS) quota on May 21.
The move had triggered a massive controversy, prompting the university's vice-chancellor, professor Surendra Dubey, to come out with a statement saying the appointment would be cancelled if any irregularity was found.
"The entire process was transparent and the interview was video-graphed. EWS certificate is issued by the administration and if any irregularity is found, the appointment would be cancelled," he had said.
Dubey had added that the university would initiate "penal action" if Arun Dwivedi's EWS certificate was found to be fake.
The university had invited applications for two posts, one under the EWS quota and the other in the Other Backward Classes category.
The vice-chancellor had said at the time of his appointment, he did not know that Arun Dwivedi was Basic Education Minister Satish Chandra Dwivedi's brother.
It had come to light through social media, Dubey said.
He also said that for the two posts, 150 applications were received, and based on merit, 10 applicants were short-listed, including Arun Dwivedi.