DCW writes to UGC over Dixit's institute

New Delhi: The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) has asked the University Grants Commission (UGC) if Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya, run by self-styled godman Virender Dev Dixit, was recognised by the regulatory body.

The DCW had last month rescued several women and girls from different centres of the institute after a PIL was filed by NGO Foundation for Soci-al Empowerment before the Delhi high court in the matter. It had informed the court that several minors and women were allegedly being illegally confined there.

The DCW has now sought to know from the UGC if it had received any complaint or representation regarding the operations of the institute, along with the details of action taken on such complaints.

If not recognised, the women’s panel sought to know what action would be taken by the UGC against the institute for using the word “vishwa vidyalaya” (university) in its name, thereby misleading the people.

“It has been learnt that the said ‘vishwa vidyala-ya’ at Vijay Vihar and at other places across India has been functioning with the title of Spiritual God Fatherly University for decades,” DCW chief Swati Jaihind said in a letter written to the UGC.

“Hundreds of young girls and women have been enrolled as residential students of this institute at several centres across the country,” she added.

She strongly recommended that if the institute was not a university, it should be barred from using the word “university” in its name.

Ms Jaihind also said strict action should be taken against the management of the institute for wrongly claiming it to be a university.

“Considering the gravity of the matter, you are requested to please provide the above-mentioned information latest by January 12,” the DCW chief said in her letter.