AMU Kishanganj! Controversies! Ground Realities?

Whenever I write about the controversies and issues related to proposed Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Special Centre Kishanganj my heart bleeds and literally I get demotivated. Since the day the announcement of establishment of AMU Centre in Kishanganj till now, many like me are keenly following the developments and contributing at their own levels for the noble cause. From the year 2008 when the AMU administration declared to open a Centre in Katihar (Bihar) till the agreement day on December 30, 2011 the journey remained full of sweet and sour moments. However, after the AMU administration and District Administration of Kishanganj signed an agreement on Dec 30, 2011 it seemed the road ahead for the proposed centre in smooth and majority of the people in Bihar rejoiced the historic day.

Sad to say, the road ahead for AMU Centre Kishanganj is not easier and it is full of thorns. The anti-social and communal forces are trying their best to disturb the path for the establishment of AMU Centre. Without knowing it merits and importance for the district of Kishanganj, Purnia Division, Seemanchal, whole Bihar and Country, a section of the society is doing all misdeeds to malign the efforts of AMU administration, Bihar Government and Centre as well. Just a couple of days after the agreement, some anti-social elements uprooted the boards and pillars from the land of AMU. At the meantime, a group named as Backward Class and Land Security lead by Madhav Modi is misleading the tribals and forcing them to go against the proposed AMU Centre.

This past week I was in Kishanganj and in the early morning got the sad news of irrigation of AMU’s land from some miscreants by tractor. I moved towards Chakla Village and met the Mukhiya Mohammad Junaid to know the reality. The Mukhiya shared his views related to AMU Kishanganj and his effort for the cause. In fact, the villagers of Chakla are now very active and they have made a team to keep the vigil eye on the AMU land. Even they do patrolling of the AMU land in the late night for stopping any encroachment. The miscreants who tried to irrigate the AMU land with tractor were caught by the villagers in the night and handed over to the district administration.

Mukhiya Junaid accompanied me to the AMU land along with some villagers. We spent around an hour on the AMU land and talked with the tribals as well. I tribal man M Chone, who was earlier against the AMU Centre and misguided other people from his society was deeply regretting. He said, I was wrongly trapped by anti-AMU Kishanganj forces who had told me that the government will encroach their land. Further he added that the anti-AMU group had said that the University is not beneficial for common people especially poor section and unemployed. We support the AMU Kishanganj Centre project and we hope this will bring a change in our lives, added Chone.