By Shafeeq Hudavi, TwoCircles.net,
Kozhikode: The defiance of the Chief Secretary and Finance Department to grant permission to set up the proposed Arabic University in Kerala has invited strong ire from various corners. Political parties including Indian Union Muslim League and Muslim organisations like Jamaat- e- Islami Hind, Kerala, along with a section of academia have come down heavily against the move to scuttle the proposed university.
Citing various technical impediments and apprehensions over triggering communal polarization, Chief Secretary and Finance Department refused approval to the proposal to set up a campus university in the state on the lines of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Aligarh Muslim University and English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad.
Photo used for Illustration purpose only.
“The setting up of such a university will affect the present social scenario of the state and such a move needs the approval of the Union Human Resources Department. Further, it will add additional financial burden of Rs. 90 crore to the State Government,” local media reports in the state quoted the high officials of the state as saying.
The file, which was forwarded to the Finance Department following the cabinet decision to set up the university, was rejected by the department citing these impediments. Earlier, in 2014 also, the proposal had failed to get the nod from the Finance Department and for the second time the proposal was submitted to the department following the cabinet’s decision to take a favourable step in this regard.
Sources in the State Education Department said that the proposal was rejected although adequate fund was offered by businessmen and organisations based in several gulf countries.
IUML state committee has, however, decided to take up the issue. Party state general secretary KPA Majeed told Twocircle.net that the party will exert all possible pressure on the government to make sure that the Arabic university becomes a reality.
“We are checking whether communal motives have played any role in scuttling the proposal,” Majeed said.
Meanwhile, Jamaat- e-Islami Hind, Kerala flayed the Chief Secretary over his alleged attempt to communalise the proposed Arabic University. The Kerala Ameer of JIH, M I Abdul Azeez alleged that Chief Secretary was sabotaging the move to setup the university on false motives.
“The university, if it comes to existence, could play crucial role in boosting the economic and social sectors. It is objectionable to prevent the setting up of the university by citing technical impediments and extending communal statement. It seems contrary that the Finance Department, which is inclined to accept a liberal policy towards corporate sector, is extending a raw deal towards the university,” the Ameer said.
“Due importance is granted to Arabic in the universities of the country as it opens vast opportunities in front of the job seekers in GCC countries. The attempt to oppose the university shouldn’t be justified at any cost as the public, irrespective of their religion, could take benefit of such educational institution,” he added.
Alleging the Chief Secretary and Finance Department were enhancing the communal polarization in the state, cultural and social activists have vented strong ire against the move. A joint statement, signed by various noted persons including E T Mohammed Basheer MP, K N Panicker, B Rajeevan, A K Ramakrishnan, K P A Majeed, Munavvarali Shihab Thangal, Jamaate Islami Hind Kerala Ameer M I Abdul Azeez, former Haj Committee chairman Alikkutty Musliyar, Hussain Madavur, K E N Kunjahammed and O Abdul Rahman few days ago criticised the Finance Department.
The statement said that the move to portray Arabic as a language related to any community or religion was initiated on false motives. Such moves will only help in strengthening the communal polarisation, the statement added. It should be pointed here that a large number of expatriates from the state, irrespective of their faiths, work in several Arab countries and send regular remittance back home.
It was in March, 2014, the Kerala State Higher Education Council (KSHEC) proposed the idea of setting up an Arabic university considering the State’s historic, cultural and academic ambience for such a centre of learning. The proposal was brought following the recommendations of the Sachar Commission and Paloli Commission reports. Paloli commission was instituted by the former Left Democratic Front Government to assess the living standards of Muslims across the state.
A detailed project report drawn up by KSHEC on the project was submitted to the State Government on May 7, 2014.
In the initial phase, the university would offer Post Graduate programmes in MA Arabic Language and Literature, Comparative Linguistics, Comparative Literature, Translation, Classical Languages and Literature, International Studies and Islamic Economics and Finance, it was proposed.