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| Act before it is too late | | Central University | | Rustam
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, July 16: It is not a secret that the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry contemplated last October the appointment of Amitabh Mattoo as Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Jammu. The HRD Ministry had taken this decision despite the fact that the people of Jammu province, including students, had been fighting since 2009 for the appointment of a Jammu-based academician as the first Vice-Chancellor of the sanctioned Central University of Jammu. It was the Jammu's anger against the reported move of the HRD Ministry to impose Mattoo on the Central University that made the President of India not to accept the HRD Ministry's proposal. It was expected that the HRD Ministry would adopt a positive attitude towards the demand of the people and appoint a local academician as the first Vice-Chancellor of the Jammu Central University of Jammu. Unfortunately, however, it has not happened. It appears the HRD Ministry is punishing Jammu. How else should one describe the inordinate delay on the part of the HRD Ministry?
It is strange that the people of Jammu province have to fight every time for getting their demands conceded. First they fought against those who tinkered with the earlier decision and transferred the Central University from Jammu to Kashmir to appease the people of the Valley and forced the authorities in New Delhi to set up two Central Universities in the state, one each in Jammu province and Kashmir Division. New Delhi took this decision and, at the same time, withdrew its proposal regarding the establishment of Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Kashmir.
The people of Jammu had to fight again when reports poured in that the HRD Ministry had decided to impose on the Central University of Jammu Amitabh Mattoo as its first Vice-Chancellor - Mattoo known for his pro-separatist, pro-self-rule, pro-unruly elements and pro-Pakistan views; Mattoo who is also known for his communal formulations and anti-Army and anti-paramilitaries views; Mattoo who stands excommunicated from the community to which he belongs. It would not be out of place to mention here that it was not just the people of Jammu who had opposed the idea of controversial Mattoo being appointed as Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Jammu. The bulk of displaced community of Kashmiri Hindus, too, had joined hands with the protesting people of Jammu province and opposed the HRD ministry's move tooth and nail.
The people of Jammu are again on the warpath. The leadership of the Jammu Province People's Front (JPPF), a conglomerate of over two dozen associations, has planned to go to New Delhi to meet the HRD Minister, Kapil Sibal, and urge him to take all the necessary steps so that the Central University in Jammu becomes functional. The Jammu Central University Morcha is also thinking in similar terms. The student wing of the Panthers Party, the ABVP, the Jammu University Research Scholars Association and several other Jammu-based social and political groups, too, are on the warpath demanding the establishment of the Central University and threatening a movement.
Why should all this happen when the issue can be settled in no time? The HRD Ministry needs to respect the sentiments of the people of Jammu province and appoint forthwith some Jammu-based academician as the Vice-Chancellor of the Jammu Central University. There is no dearth of competent academicians in Jammu province.
One thing appears certain: Any more delay on the part of the HRD Ministry to appoint a local academician as Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Jammu would surely force the people in general and the student community in particular to create a law and order problem in the otherwise peaceful Jammu province. It would not be out of place to mention here that the Jammu is already seething with anger because of several other reasons. The two most immediate provocations being the curtailment of Amarnath Yatra duration and the revocation of the Dogra certificate order. Will the HRD Ministry rise to the occasion and act before it is too late? |
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