Three eminent academics have asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] to set up an independent inquiry into the controversy pertaining to a painting exhibition in Vadodara's M S University that led to the arrest of painter Chandramohan.

Historian Romila Thapar and noted academics Deepak Nayyar and Andre Betaille have written a letter to the Prime Minister, demanding that Gujarat's Governor or the University Grants Commission be asked to set up a committee to probe the matter.

'Such a committee should not be constituted by the Vice-Chancellor since his actions are being inquired into nor should it be constituted by the state government,' the letter said.

The panel should comprise academicians and concerned citizens from other universities and states, it said.  

They described the issue as a matter of grave concern to the academic community since it involved violation of the freedom of expression granted by the Constitution and an assault on university autonomy.

'University functionaries, even in universities that are not Central universities, should not be allowed to behave in an authoritarian manner and should be reminded that there is a wider university community beyond the particular state and its government, to which they are accountable,' it said.

Members of a political party were permitted to enter the university, destroy the work submitted for examinations by Chandramohan, a student of the arts faculty and have students arrested by police.

The dean, Shivji Panikker, was suspended when he intervened in the matter, the letter said.

Earlier, these academics had written to President A P J Abdul Kalam on the same issue.