Kolkata: There has been a larger movement regarding the acquisition of Aliah’s land for the Park Circus Campus of Aliah University. Under the pressure of the movement, The Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education (MA&ME) Department office informed that Aliah’s land will not be transferred to another institution.
But on November 21, in an administrative meeting Monday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, “What is the use of the land of Aliah University now? I have given them a new university campus.” He directed the party leaders to talk to the students of Aliah and solve the problem.
In reply, state minister Firhad Hakim said, “Don’t talk, do it. Otherwise, 5 years will pass to convince. The boys are all scoundrels.” That is, he indirectly talks about occupying that land by force. And this is why Aliah’s students and alumni are angry.
Condemning the minister’s comments, Mirajul Islam a student of Aliah said, “How can he be a minister and make such ugly comments to students.” Mirajul Islam also said, “We have been protesting for a long time, but he never came to discuss it with us. This is not the first time, there have been attempts to forcibly occupy Aliah’s land before. But we will not leave even an inch of land.”
It is known that, as a result of the long agitation, it was said to build a hostel, playground, and staff quarters on the land of Aliah by the demands of the students. The university has a hostel problem, the problem of accommodation of female students, the problem of accommodation of university professors, and there is no playground. Aliah University’s land at Park Circus was sufficient to solve these problems. But the students are not able to accept the way the government is creating pressure to give part of that land to Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital.
Aliah’s student Irfan Sadique said, “During the agitation, we went to Nabanna several times with various demands. Then we were told that a girls’ and boys’ hostel will be built on that land in Aliah. 83 crores have been allocated for this. All the work will be completed within 3 years. But nothing was done as promised.”
According to the sources, the movement to demand a new hostel has been going on for a long time. About 7000 students in the university. The nursing department has a compulsory hostel facility for 240 students. Most of the rest of the students cannot afford a hostel. Many have 2 students in a single room and 3-4 students in a double room. At that time, keeping in mind the problems of the students, it was decided to take two hostels. Where there will be a provision of 100 and 150 seats. A long time passed but no new hostel was arranged.
Aliah is the only minority university in the state. Poor minority boys and girls from different districts of the state study here. Many students are forced to study from campus amenity centres due to not getting a hostel. Many cannot afford to spend thousands of rupees to study in Kolkata. Many people have stopped their studies without getting a hostel.
The students said, “We want to make one thing clear we will give life and blood, but we will not leave Aliah’s land in any way. Giving the land of one institution to another institution is nothing but duplicity. There is no way we will not allow that to happen.”
One of Aliah’s assistant professors wrote on social media asking questions, “Didi was also a minority minister for 10 years. Don’t you know that Aliah University has a campus in Park Circus? The land was allotted for the construction of a hostel for boys, a staff quarter, a teaching block, and a small playground. Are Aliah students not entitled to that privilege? Do only medical students need all the facilities because poor Muslims also get treatment in hospitals?”
The chief minister’s statement is already raising anger among the leaders of various Muslim organizations. They have made it clear that if there is an attempt to take away Aliah’s land, they will take part in a larger movement. Besides, university students have also warned of a larger movement.