By TCN News,
Aligarh: On the invitation from Mrs. Fauzia Khan, Minister of State for Primary Education and Awkaf in Maharashtra Govt., a high-level team of Aligarh Muslim University led by VC Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis visited Aurangabad and Malegaon on 27th October and inspected each site in both the cities identified by the state government for AMU Centre.
Accompanied by the Maharashtra minister, Mrs. Fauzia Khan, Principal Secretary of Minority Development Department Mrs. Thekkekara and Secretary of State Minority Commission, Mr. Syed Hashmi, Prof. Azis along with his team inspected the site situated near Aurangabad and then the team proceeded to Khuldabad town located 30 kilometers away from Aurangabad. The Khuldabad site, a contiguous plot of 332 acres, is a historically significant and spiritually important location.
A bird’s eye view of the Khuldabad site identified for AMU Centre
A welcome program was organized at the Maulana Azad Research Centre, Aurangabad by Maharashtra Federation of Minority Educational Organizations. The large and enthusiastic gathering mainly comprising educationists and social activists urged the high-power AMU team to set up the AMU Centre in the region so that the minorities and other extremely backward social segments get an opportunity of best possible education.
Addressing the gathering, the AMU Vice Chancellor, Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis focused on the genesis and the background of the establishment of five AMU Centres across the nation including in Maharashtra. He threw light on the alarming development deficit; particularly the pathetic educational scenario prevailing in minority concentrated 91 districts of the country.
He said that the sole objective of setting up AMU Centres is to bring into modern education fold, the most excluded social class and to cultivate secular values, rational approach, scientific temperament and also help capacity building among the common people so that they can meaningfully become partner in the process of nation building.
NSUI and SFI srudents submitting Memorandum to establish AMU Centre in Aurangabad
He clarified that the process of establishing AMU Centre in Maharashtra will commence with the transfer of 250-300 acres of contiguous land free of cost and without any encumbrances. “The University will then seek the necessary approval of the Visitor and grants from the central government. The University will appoint a consultant for preparing a ‘Detailed Feasibility Report’ and ‘Detailed Project Report’ simultaneously for the consideration of the government and necessary amendments in the statutes and ordinances will be made” he explained.
“Once the University receives the approval and the grant, it would put the whole process on fast track and launch its academic program in phased manner and develop the infrastructure in well-defined stages to hopefully make the centre fully functional in 12-15 years’ time” he assured.
“The 35 feet wide road be provided from nearby national/state highway to AMU Centre. He said that an independent electricity line and establishment of 33 KV/11 KV Sub Station of at least 20 mega watt dedicated supply should also be provided at the cost of Maharashtra government. The state government should also provide water supply for construction and domestic use and establish water treatment plant, internet facility, sewage treatment plant and other essential facilities” he added.
AMU VC inspecting the proposed land for AMU Centre at Malegaon
The Maharashtra Minister of State for Primary Education and Awkaf, Mrs. Fauzia Khan, who has played an important role in identifying the required land for AMU Centre at Aurangabad, said that the Aurangabad district deserves most for establishing AMU Centre as it would benefit Muslim students of eight districts situated in Marathwada region.
While interacting with educationists and prominent citizens, Prof. N. A. K. Durrani, one of the AMU team members, emphasized that the people of the region should extend full support in unison for the AMU initiative. “The Centre is more important than the issue of its location as it would certainly benefit the whole region. The focus should be on establishing the centre in any of the two cities where the lands have been identified” he urged.
After Aurangabad, the team visited Malegaon where they received a warm welcome from the local people. A large number of people gathered to welcome the team before inspecting the identified two sites. Dozens of memorandums were handed over to the AMU Vice Chancellor pleading for establishing AMU Centre in Malegaon.
AMU VC inspecting the map of the proposed land for AMU Centre at Malegaon
The team visited the site located at Rampura, 30 kilometers from Malegaon where local Shiv Sena and BJP activists protested and blocked the site inspection. The team inspected the land from a distance.
Later the District Collector P. Velrasu and Mr. Bhujbal along with the local MLA met AMU Vice Chancellor and explained that the issue of protest is a small issue that could be easily tackled by convincing the local people of the area.
The team also inspected the second site situated 24 km away from the Malegaon city and 14 kilometers away from the Manmad railway junction. The Nashik District Collector Mr. P. Velrasu informed the AMU team that the land belonged to Social Forestry Department and if selected, it would have to get mutation which might take a minimum of six months’ time.
Besides VC PK Abdul Azis, the team includes Prof. Anwar Jahan Zuberi, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences and former Vice Chancellor, University of Calicut, Prof. Jawaid Akhtar, Dean, Faculty of Management Studies and Research, Prof. Ekram Husain, Principal, Zakir Husain College of Engineering and Technology and Prof. M. Saud Alam Qasmi, Former Dean, Faculty of Theology.