By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
Patna: What went in the mind of Bihar government between November 2009 and January 2010 that almost cut the plan for the Special Centre of Aligarh Muslim University in the state? In October 2009, the Nitish Kumar government said the land for the centre will be given to AMU free of cost. In early February 2010, it took U-turn and said the land will be registered in the name of HRD Bihar, not AMU, and it will be given to AMU on lease.
On 29th October 2009, Anjani Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary, Govt of Bihar, wrote to Prof PK Abdul Azis, Vice-Chancellor, Aligarh Muslim University, informing him about the state government decision to give 250 acres of land to AMU free of cost. “You will be glad to know that the Government of Bihar has now decided to give 250 acres of land, free of cost to AMU for opening its centre in the Kishanganj district,” the official said in the letter.
But in another letter dated 2nd February 2010, KK Pathak, Secretary, HRD, Bihar Govt, informed the District Magistrate of Kishanganj that the land will be in the name of HRD, Bihar Govt and it will be given to AMU on lease for 30 years. “The land will be in the name of HRD, Bihar Govt and it is proposed to be given to Aligarh Muslim University for 30 years on lease,” reads the letter of the official.
This all information and copies of the official letters of the concerned officials have been accessed through RTI by Mohd Irshad Hussain, RTI activist who also heads Bihar chapter of Students Islamic Organization of India.
It is interesting to note here that Chief Minister himself had promised to give the land to AMU free of cost. In his letter dated 19th September 2009, CM Nitish Kumar wrote to AMU V-C informing him that the state government has decided to give land free of cost to AMU for opening its centre in Kishanganj.