State govt opposed to minority university after Tipu: Ravi

Mangalore, 03 Feb 2013: State BJP government will not allow setting up of a university for minorities and it being named after Tipu Sultan anywhere in Karnataka and is willing to pay any price for its stand, Minister for Higher Education CT Ravi said. On the other hand, the state government has no problems with union government setting up central or national university and such an institution being named after Muslims with greater nationalistic outlook than Tipu.

 

 

Asserting that the setting up of Aligarh Muslim University pre-independence sowed the seeds of division of the country in the minds of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, Ravi told reporters here that such universities lay the foundation for division of communities. "While certain facets of Tipu’s contributions to Indian freedom struggle are beyond dispute, there are certain other facets which are equally controversial and needs debate," he said.

 

Citing accounts of Historians who have documented both facets of Tipu - his contributions as well as controversies, Ravi said this is an account given by historians of standing and not his personal account or one but forth by Sangh parivar. "Government is not against Muslim name (for central or national university)," he said suggesting alternatives such as former President APJ Abdul Kalam, shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan or Sant Shishunala Sharief.

 

Reminding the Congress, which has been advocating setting up of a university for minorities at Srirangapatna after Tipu that there are far more worthy Muslims than Tipu after whom a university could be named, Ravi said, "Congress has forgotten far more nationalistic and patriotic Havildaar A bdul Hamid, soldier in the 4th Battalion, The Grenadiers of Indian Army , who died fighting the Pakistanis in 1965 Indo-Pakistan war."

 

If the centre comes with such a proposal to start a central or national university named after such patriotic Muslims, the state government is ready to sanction any amount of land for the purpose, he said, adding personally sitting or retired judge of Supreme Court should be asked to study historian’s views on Tipu and submit a report. The proposal for the university after Tipu was mooted by Rahman Khan, Union Minister for Minority Affairs.