Jammu: Opposition members in Jammu and
Kashmir Assembly Friday walked out after receiving an
"unsatisfactory reply" by the state government over making
Jammu Central University operational.
As the Zero Hour began, leader of the Jammu and
Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) party Assembly
Harshdev Singh raised the issue.
He alleged that the state government had failed to
operationalise the Jammu Central University and no
Vice-Chancellor had been appointed so far.
He also alleged that 15 Central Universities which
were announced by the Centre two years ago, along with the
Jammu Central University, are functional for over a year,
including Kashmir Central University, but Jammu Central
University is still on the papers.
Lashing at the government for its failure to appoint a
Vice-Chancellor, he said the process has been delayed and
Jammu is facing discrimination in this regard.
Speaking on the issue, Prof Chaman Lal Gupta and Ashok
Khajuria, both of BJP, demanded a reply from the government.
Members of BJP, JKNPP and JSM then stood up and
shouted slogans.
Later intervening, the Minister for Higher Education
Abdul Gani Malik told the Assembly that the government was
concerned over the issue and efforts were on to make the
University operational.
"The VC was almost selected last year. But a
controversy was triggered by some vested interests, who
created an environment of protests over the issue," he said.
"The VC was about to join and now he wants to escape
the controversy and has decided to keep away from the post",
he said.
Malik, however, did not take the name of Prof Amitabh
Mattoo, who had last year been appointed as the VC of Jammu
Central University.
Malik said the controversy which erupted in the wake
of appointment of the Vice Chancellor of the Central
University, Jammu, has stalled the institution to take off.
He said that Central government has been requested to
expedite the appointment of Vice Chancellor so that the
institution starts functioning soon.
He said land has already been made available for the
prestigious institution and other formalities stand completed.
Unsatisfied over the reply, members of BJP, JKNPP and
JSM resorted to sloganeering and staged a walkout.
PTI
