New Delhi: In Rajya Sabha, JD-U and BJP members on Friday strongly demanded setting up of a central university in Chamaparan, Bihar as the Centre's offer to acquire land in Patna for the same is not acceptable to the NDA government in the state.
During Question Hour they said, it was the prerogative of the state government for deciding the location of the university and not that of the Centre. The members clashed with HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, who offered to acquire land in Patna for it even, when the state
government wanted it in Champaran.
"If you (Bihar government) will not give land, we will get it for you," Sibal said, suggesting that the 500 acres identified for IIT in Patna could be used for the university. Shivanand Tiwari (JD-U) replied saying that the Bihar Government has already offered 1,000 acre for the university in Champaran, which is about 170 kms from Patna, a historical place from where Mahatma Gandhi launched satyagraha.
Sibal said "we don't have allergy" with name of Gandhi but the university should rather come up at a place that has better connectivity so that best of faculty could be attracted.
"We have spoken to Bihar Government several times but Chief Minister (Nitish Kumar) said the university will come up in Motihari or (else) nowhere," he said. Efforts are on to evolve a solution and assure the members that the university will be set up in consultation with the state government said minister.
The Centre in 2009 had announced of setting up 16 central universities, including in Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar and Rajasthan.
PTI
First Published: Friday, August 12, 2011, 15:55