Acquisition of KU campus for cluster varsity opposed

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, June 17

Various groups and student organisations in Kargil district are up in arms against the “arbitrary decision” of the higher education department to acquire satellite campuses of the University of Kashmir (KU) to start the new Cluster University for Ladakh.

The groups have approached Governor Satya Pal Malik, pleading that the move would affect the students pursuing studies from the KU satellite campuses and the higher education department should look for another government building to start the new university.

Given the sensitivity of the matter, the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, which governs the district politically, has taken up the matter with the higher education department with a request to find an alternative site.

In a letter to the Governor, Anjuman Jamiat-ul Ulama Asna Asharia Kargil, Ladakh, sought revocation of the order.

“The Kargil premises is one of the most successful and vibrant KU campuses. It has significant enrolment of students which is improving every year,” it said, adding the Cluster University could be located in government degree colleges of Kargil and Leh.

Sources said the higher education department had decided to acquire 600 kanal of the total 700 kanal land of the KU satellite campus at Kargil for Cluster University.

“Students are being instigated on political lines for holding protests to create unrest in the region. The issue could be genuine, but there is no doubt that some politics is being played,” the sources said.

In December last year, the State Administrative Council (SAC), headed by the Governor, approved a Bill to set up Cluster University in Ladakh, but it sparked protests in Kargil after the SAC decided to have its headquarters in Leh district. Later, the government decided to make headquarters functional in both the districts.

“This issue is to be resolved by the state. We have very limited role in it,” said C Phunsog, who is the first Vice Chancellor of the university.

Feroz Ahmad Khan, CEC of the Leh Council, claimed that the issue would be resolved “very soon” as they had taken up the matter with the higher education department with a request to start Cluster University offices from another government building.

Students approach Governor Malik

• The higher education department had decided to acquire 600 kanal of the total 700 kanal land of the KU satellite campus at Kargil for Cluster University
• Student groups have approached Governor Satya Pal Malik, pleading that the move would affect the students pursuing studies from the KU satellite campuses and the higher education department should look for another government building to start the new university
• Given the sensitivity of the matter, the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, which governs the district politically, has taken up the matter with the higher education department with a request to find an alternative site