New Delhi, October 12, 2011: A group of Delhi based (residents of Bihar) working professionals, students, journalists and activists came together for a dharna (agitation) in front of Bihar Bhawan in New Delhi on October 12, 2011 to support the ongoing mega agitation for the establishment of AMU Special Centre in Kishanganj. The one hour long dharna was intended to push up the Bihar Government for immediate inception of the AMU centre in Kishanganj, Bihar. Around 500 in number they had come under the banner of ‘AMU Centre Co-ordination Committee’ asking the Bihar Government to immediately allocate the required land to AMU VC.
During the democratic dharna the protestors shouted slogans against the Nitish Kumar led Bihar Government. Mohammad Mudassir Alam - the PRO of committee along with Congress Youth Spokesperson Minnat Rahmani, Tauqir Alam (a student leader of JNU), Zamir Iqbal (an Engineer by profession) and Murteza Iqbal (a student of Jamia Hamdard) had submitted a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar through the Resident Commissioner. The memorandum was accepted by Akhlaq Ahmad, Joint Commissioner Bihar Bhawan on behalf of Resident Commissioner. The committee has requested Nitish Kumar to resolve the land issue on immediate basis and provide the required 250 acres of land free of cost to AMU. Establishment of AMU Centre in Kishanganj Bihar is solutions for many issues including the mass migration of people to other parts of country in search of education and employment.
Kishanganj was identified as one of the five centres for the AMU campus centre after the Sachchar Committee recommended setting up of more institutions focused on the educational needs of Muslims in the minority dominated areas. The proposed special centre of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in Kishanganj district of Bihar is delaying for past two and half due to all wrong reasons. The establishment of AMU Centre in Kishanganj, Bihar is on hold because of inability of Nitish led Bihar Government to provide required 250 acres contiguous land to AMU administration free of cost. In fact, the Bihar Government had offered 243 acres of land in three parts on lease basis for 30 years to the Vice Chancellor of AMU in May 2010. However, following his visit on 22 May, 2010 to the proposed land the VC of AMU Prof P K Abdul Azis refused to accept the land because of 3 pieces, illegal encroachment by tribals, narrow access road (less than 30 metre) and 30 years lease term.
Since then, the Bihar Government failed to provide the required 250 acres land to AMU VC for more than one year. Now, the proposal of AMU centre in Kishanganj, Bihar is badly trapped in politics and blame games. The matter of AMU special centre in Kishanganj is not moving forward due to careless attitude of Bihar Government. Whatever is the reason behind this delay, the worst sufferer in this political interference are the people of Bihar especially Seemanchal region and educationally backward district of Kishanganj.
