While Kane's indecisiveness and degree of pliability are held responsible, to a large extent, for the mess the university is in, an equal share of culpability must be borne by his critics. Criticism is fine, but is destructive when it comes after everything is over.

With all the experience at his disposal, Pro Vice-Chancellor Deepak Kumar De could be an ideal advisory to a V-C drafted from the corporate sector. Sources say, however, that his participation in the decision-making process is not commensurate with his post. Asked, he says, ``It is not necessary that everything I suggest is accepted and implemented.'' So, he doesn't suggest often.

Senate member Cassim Unia said his actions were always aimed at benefiting the university. Asked why he had not reached the V-C's cabin when the students held him to ransom, he said he had been informed late. When told that Senate members had forced the V-C to get the Registrar down from the dais recently, he said, ``We have to make our presence felt at the Senate meeting, everything cannot be allowed to be passed without any discussions; objections have to be raised and differences of opinions have to be generated.''

Asked if he wasn't shirking responsibility by withholding suggestions as a senator, Unia said he didn't want ``to be a party to all these things''.Senate member Narendra Parmar minces no word in saying all is not well at the university but when it comes to contributing to the university, he says this: ``If I do not like anything I voice my opinion, but I cannot impose it on others.'' He said he alone could not give suggestions.

Some Senate members who have valuable suggestions to give shy away fearing they would be browbeaten by other powerful lobbies representing a majority of the senate. For example, Dean of Home Science Anupama Shah says the concerns of the teaching community were being neglected at the Senate. ``There's a powerful lobby that always silences the teaching community's opinion.''

Narendra Tiwari, a senior Senate member known for his readiness to raise objections, says, ``Who will come forward with a solution when you know it is not going to be implemented?'' He says he only ensures that everything went as per the law.

Asked if his constant objections were affecting work in the university, Tiwari says ``Somebody has to take the initiative and it doesn't matter if time is being wasted; in the end, it's the guidelines that matter.''