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vc_in_bihar_link.jpg) AMU VC visits Kishanganj, Urged to start AMU centre at any cost:
Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) team led by Vice Chancellor
Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis received a mass welcome at Bagdogra airport
as thousands of people came to receive the
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AMU to have 250-acre branch in Bihar |
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“Agar
firdaus bar ru-e zamin ast, Hami ast o-hami ast o-hami ast” (If
there is paradise on Earth it is this, it is this, it is this), the
couplets was used by the Mughal Emperor, Jehangir to describe the
beauty of Kashmir. The immortal words of Jehangir can also be used
in today’s context for the Indian most backward but charming
district of Kishanganj. Stuck in north-eastern corner of Bihar,
Kishanganj is bestowed with unparalleled natural beauty and even
fondly referred to as the ‘Heaven of Bihar’. The geographical
location of Kishanganj provides its special recognition on Indian
map as it serves as the gateway to the seven-sister states in north
east India. Carved out of the erstwhile Purnia district in 1991,
Kishanganj is a Muslim dominated district that counts around 70
percent of the total population.
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Enough number of good schools for children in Kishenganj is still a dream.
(Photo: Md
Mudassir Alam) |
Kishanganj has been represented by the educational luminaries and
journalists like Syed Shahbuddin (1985-89 & 1991 – 96) and M.J.
Akbar (1989 – 91). Despite such surprising past political
association, Kishanganj is still battling with dismal economic and
educational status. The district has only 32 percent of literacy
against India’s literacy rate of 64.84 percent and Bihar’s 47.53
percent. The literacy rate dips further among Muslims as their
literacy rate is 24 percent. Quite shockingly, Kishanganj has the
least female literacy in all over India that counts a meagre 2
percent. Although the state government and the Centre runs many
educational projects in the district, but it would take a long time
to scale the literacy rate up to the national level in Kishanganj.
Based
on the recommendations of Sachar Committee and Fatmi Committee, the
Muslims of Kishanganj was found among the least literates in India.
A couple of years back the Central Government has guided the Aligarh
Muslim University (AMU) to open the extension centres in Muslim
dominated areas across the country. Kishanganj was deserving the AMU
extension centre most, but due to some lack of information the
nearby district of Katihar was declared as the proposed centre,
where the percentage of Muslim is 42 percent. However, later on
Kishanganj was declared the site of AMU off-campus centre by the
Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar in February 2009.
The
declaration of Bihar CM was like a precious gift for the people of
Kishanganj, and locals celebrated the historic moment in their own
way by distributing sweets, taking out processions across the
district and other ways. Kishanganj DM Feraque Ahmad found out the
required land in a short span of time with the help of local B.D.O
and C.O. A proposal with the detail map of 246 acres land for AMU
off-campus centre was sent by Feraque Ahmad to Principal Secretary
of Bihar Government on August 17, 2009. About a month later on
September 26, 2009, Nitish Kumar announced his government will give
100 acres of land to AMU free of cost. The announcement of Nitish
was slammed by saffron parties and even NCP general secretary Tariq
Anwar accused the Bihar Chief Minister for misleading the people in
the name of AMU off-campus centre. Tariq Anwar also criticised
Nitish Kumar for relocating the proposed centre from Katihar to
Kishanganj due to political intention.
At
the meantime, AMU VC Prof. P.K. Abdul Azis requested for 250 acres
land from Nitish Kumar as it was necessary to run a big institution.
A delegation led by AMU VC met up with Nitish Kumar in Bihar on
February 4, 2010 and explained the plan of the extension centre in
Kishanganj.
Bihar
CM was highly excited over the AMU proposal and announced to provide
250 acres land to AMU on lease for a period of 30 years. The
decision of Nitish Kumar got approval in Bihar Assembly on February
17, 2010 and it seemed that the road ahead for setting up AMU
off-campus in Kishanganj is quite smooth. In response to Nitish
Kumar’s statement ABVP (Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarathi Parishad) the
student wing of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led a state wide
protest against the proposed AMU off-campus centre in Kishanganj.
Bihar Bandh was called by ABVP on April 1, 2010, but it could not
compel Nitish Kumar to take back his decision. On May 22, 2010, AMU
VC Prof. P.K. Abdul Azis visited Kishanganj with his team to inspect
the land offered by the Bihar Government. The 246 acres of land was
offered in three pieces by the Bihar Government that was rejected by
AMU VC because of safety reasons. Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis in his
statement said that the AMU council want the land in one contiguous
piece instead of the 3 pieces to run the proposed campus smoothly. A
small population exists on the offered land that is also a big
hurdle before the proposed AMU off-campus centre, said AMU VC.
Assembly elections in Bihar are scheduled in October, 2010, and
Modal Code of Conduct would be imposed by August. If the land
transfer issue is not settled in the month of July itself, then the
plan of setting AMU off-campus centre in Kishanganj might be a
history. The dilemma of land transfer issue has become a big
anxiety for the people of Kishanganj and rest of Bihar. In fact, the
locals feel that their dream about seeing the AMU off-campus centre
in Kishanganj is dwindling due to the lazy approach of Nitish led
NDA government. Bihar CM Nisith Kumar is visiting Kishanganj on July
4, 2010 as per his curriculum of ‘Vishwas Yatra’. Now all eyes are
fixed on Ruidhasa Maidan in Kishanganj, where Nitish Kumar will
address the public on July 4. If the Bihar Chief Minister makes any
announcement regarding the land transfer issue to AMU, the common
people would feel themselves on ‘Cloud 9’, and would get a reason to
celebrate. Unless once again the economically and educationally
backward district, would go to the backfoot because of negligent
attitude of Bihar Government. Bottomline is that Nitish Kumar who
has got fast recognition to bring Bihar on path of progress, should
not miss the golden opportunity to establish a world-class
institution. Nitish Kumar who himself has driven the campaign to get
special status for the state of Bihar from the Centre, must not take
the AMU off-campus centre issue otherwise because it is concerned
with people of Bihar instead any particular caste or religion.
Establishment of AMU off-campus centre in Kishanganj would not only
improve the educational status but it would also generate huge
employment opportunities for the people of Bihar.
Md. Mudassir Alam is a
freelance journalist based in New Delhi.
He hails from Kishenganj
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