Ahmedabad, Oct 21 (PTI) Days after nine trustees of the Mahatma Gandhi-founded Gujarat Vidyapith quit to protest his appointment as its new chancellor, Governor Acharya Devvrat on Friday said he is wearing khadi since childhood and belongs to a family which always believed in Gandhian principles.In his first speech as Gujarat Vidyapith chancellor, Devvrat elaborated how he has embraced Gandhiji"s principles as well as way of life and asked what more a person can do to prove his dedication towards the Father of the Nation and his values.The Ahmedabad-based deemed university was founded by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920."My native village is in Haryana and there is a Gandhi Ashram nearby. We all have been attached to that Ashram since childhood. My father always insisted that any family member who fell ill should get treatment at the naturopathy clinic of the Ashram," said the Governor at a function organised to welcome him as the new chancellor of the varsity."I have never worn any other cloth except those made of khadi after fifth standard. My body does not accept any other clothes. If you blindfold me and give me clothes made of some other fabric, my body will immediately tell that it"s not of Gandhiji," said Devvrat.According to the Governor, he had served as the principal of a gurukul (traditional school) in Kurukshetra (Haryana) for 35 years and is currently its patron.Walking on the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi, Devvrat said, he has set up a naturopathy clinic having 100 beds at the same gurukul and patients from across the world come there for treatment."Agriculture and cow rearing are also dear to me. Now you tell me what else is required to prove my dedication towards Gandhiji ? If there is something missing (to be considered as a Gandhian), then you can always guide me," he said, apparently feeling miffed over the controversy created by his appointment as the chancellor of the 102-year-old institute.Earlier this week, nine members of the board of trustees of the varsity had resigned in protest against Devvrat"s appointment as the new chancellor claiming his selection was done under “political pressure”.However, the apex decision-making body of the Ahmedabad-based university has decided not to accept the resignations.In a joint statement released here, the nine trustees had said the selection of Devvrat as the chancellor was done due to “crass political pressure,” and in “total disregard of Gandhian values, methods and practices.” In an open letter, the protesting trustees had said the selection of Devvrat as the chancellor was “neither spontaneous nor the unanimous decision of the board of trustees.” "It (appointment) was in total disregard of Gandhi"s values, methods and practices,” they said and had appealed to the Governor to decline to charge as the chancellor in order to “uphold the fundamental values of democracy and transparent autonomous decision-making (of the varsity).” PTI PJT RSY RSY