Sardapeeth University
Sinha pulls another genie out of his bag
Syed Junaid Hashmi
JAMMU, May 17: Governor Lt.Gen S.K.Sinha whose five year term is due to end on June 4 is at it again. This time he wants state government to arm him with legislative powers to short-circuit the creation of a Shardapeeth University in Kashmir valley.
Normally, creation of a university which by no means is an emergency preposition, is supposed to be deliberated upon in detail and in various aspects, at length. But the governor's "draft ordinance" sent to the state higher education department for cabinet approval vaguely states that the proposed Shardapeeth University for which "land has been identified" intends to start its classes by July 2008.
Interestingly, state legislature in terms of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir has to mandatorily meet within six months of the closure of its last session. The last session ended on January 29, 2008. That means, the scheduled next session of the legislature is only a month away.
However, sources affirm that the Governor's urgent communication implies some sort of undisclosed emergency as if it was not creation of an educational institution but something of a pressing security measure for which one cannot wait for the normal completion of the course adopted for setting up a university.
They added that the governor's communication merely says that "land has been identified" and does not specify where, which and by whom. Moreover, the Governor's exigency comes at a time when some private parties have purchased land in Kashmir for setting up Shardapeeth University.
The proposal has been in the pipeline for sometime and it has been confirmed that a privately owned Shardapeeth University is in the offing. Sources said that higher education department is under intense pressure and has been asked to approve the proposal within shortest possible time.
Principal Secretary to Governor Dr.Arun Kumar affirmed that they have sent a proposal for the creation of a Shardapeeth University to the state government for approval. When asked about the place where the land is being offered for the university, Kumar said "Let the proposal move forward. We are being offered land at various locations."
Regarding the university, Kumar said "It would be a technical university, possibly with multi-location campuses. It would be on the lines of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU) and one of the country's best." Commissioner Secretary Higher Education Khazir Mohammed Wani confirmed that a proposal for the establishment of Shardapeeth University has been received from the Governor's office.
However, he refused to divulge details of the communication. On the other side of it, Kashmiri Pandit leaders who have been demanding setting up of a Shardapeeth University have expressed reservations to the proposal and briefed the Governor about the same.
Leader of Panun Kashmir Dr.Agnishekhar said that Shardapeeth has a religious and spiritual significance for the Kashmiri Pandit community. "If there is no Kashmiri Pandit representative on the board which would control the functioning of this university in Kashmir, then it would be termed as an exercise to hoodwink Kashmiri Pandits on the pretext of ensuring their dignified return to their ancestral place of birth," he added.
Referring to the issues which need to be debated threadbare, Agnishekhar said "It has to been seen what special provisions would be in the University for the youth of the Kashmiri Pandit community. The proposal is always welcome but it should be a serious effort towards restoring the faith of our community."
It is important to mention here that in the days of yore, Shardapeeth University was considered as the highest seat of learning and its scholars were revered across the world. The remains of the university have been found along the banks of river Neelam in a village at Muzaffarabad in Pakistan Administered Kashmir.