‘Muslim University’ ‘Jinn’ out of bottle again in the run up to 2027 assembly polls

‘Muslim University’ ‘Jinn’ out of bottle again in the run up to 2027 assembly polls

S.M.A. KAZMI

Dehradun, Jan 27

The Uttarakhand BJP government has again brought the ‘jinn’ of a non-existent ‘Muslim University’ in Uttarakhand as part of its’ anti-Muslim rhetoric which has been built up carefully by the state Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami in the past more than five years’ of his rule, in the run up to the next state assembly polls scheduled early in 2027.

Interestingly, it was the fear of a ‘Muslim University’ and other anti-Muslim antics by the BJP to create fear psychosis amongst majority Hindu community of the state that BJP managed to win the state assembly 2022 polls despite changing three Chief Ministers to curb the anti-incumbency and misgovernance factors. It was for the first time in the history of Uttarakhand that such blatant anti-Muslim and communal poll campaign was launched by the BJP/ ‘Sangh Parivar’. A false narrative was created that the main opposition Congress was helping Muslim in getting settled in the hills of Uttarakhand which was completely baseless. To top it all an innocuous statement by a small time Congress worker seeking establishment of a ‘Muslim University’ in west Dehradun where Muslims have a sizeable number was magnified by the BJP/RSS machinery and social media platforms as an attempt by Former Congress Chief Minister Harish Rawat who was spearheading the party’s campaign to establish a ‘Muslim University’.

The photo of Harish Rawat was morphed and he was shown in a long flowing beard resembling Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, founder of Aligarh Muslim University. The social media post was removed from BJP official handle following directive by Election Commission on a complaint by Congress party but the damage was done.

Facing multiple challenges of governance and Ankita Bhandari murder case, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has again decided to take out the jinn of ‘Muslim University’ as part of the election strategy besides other anti-Muslim rhetoric aimed at communal polarisation as done successfully in the 2022 state assembly polls.

This time BJP has focused on the land purchased by Shiekhul Hind Educational and Charitable trust in Dholas village west of Dehradun in 2005. But despite the media blitzkrieg, the ballon of the BJP propaganda was punctured by Sujata Paul, a senior social activist. Giving facts and figures of the case she clearly refuted the claims of the Dhami government of unearthing a bid scandal of ‘Land Jehad’ and demographic change.

Sujata Paul stated that it was during the tenure of first elected government headed by N.D. Tewari that a massive exercise to develop infrastructure, institutions and industrialise and invite investment was undertaken and many institutions were allowed to buy land in including many schools.

She stated that Sheikhul-Hind Educational Charitable Trust a charitable organisation requested the Uttarakhand Government for permission to buy 20 acres of land to open a school. The state government gave permission on 15 March 2004 under the land law. Using this permission, the trust bought 15.19 acres of land within the allowed time, before 14 September 2004. The Trust, later, requested the Government for more time to buy the remaining land. The Government gave an extra four months through an order dated 18 January 2005. The Trust did not buy any land during this extra time.

On 15 November 2006, the Government cancelled the earlier permission and said that the land bought by the Trust now belonged to the State. The Government giving reasons for cancellation said that the permission was valid only for 180 days, and the rules do not clearly allow extra time. Moreover, there were security concerns related to the Indian Military Academy.

The Trust challenged this decision in the Uttarakhand High Court arguing that the Government acted unfairly and cancelled the permission without giving it a chance to be heard. The Trust also said that the permission was cancelled after the land had already been legally bought. The Government defended its decision in court.

The High Court examined the rules and found that the only limit the permission period to 180 days. The Court noted that the Trust had already bought 15.19 acres within the allowed 180 days.

Since no land was bought during the extended period, the Court said there was no violation of the rules. The Court said the Government could not cancel the permission for land that was legally purchased on time. The Court also said the Government was wrong to cancel the permission without hearing the Trust.

The Court made it clear that the law about land automatically going to the State did not apply in this case. On 8 June 2010, the High Court partly ruled in favour of the Trust.  The Court declared that the purchase of 15.19 acres was legal and valid. The Court cancelled the Government’s order dated 15 November 2006, but only for the land bought within 180 days.

The Court said the Government can still decide separately whether construction is allowed because of security reasons. If construction is not allowed, the Trust can sell the land with Government permission.

The earlier temporary court order dated 29 November 2006 was cancelled. In 2016, the Trust wrote to the administration seeking permission to sell the land. The administration responded that the land was agricultural and its land use could not be changed.

Sujata Paul said that the Sheikhul Hind Educational Trust gave power of attorney to one Raees, who allegedly sold the land in small plots. The first registry was done in 2016. At that time, Uttarakhand was under Governor’s Rule, followed by the formation of a BJP government in 2017.

The land was bifurcated in smaller plots and sold to 165 people. “Interestingly, contrary to the false propaganda of BJP/RSS of ‘Land Jehad’ and demographic change in the case all the buyers are Hindus including ex-servicemen teachers and employees,” said Sujata Paul showing a list of the plot owners.

But, the Chief Minister announced a few days ago that the scandal of the Congress to have ‘Muslim University’ has been busted and his government would be taking over the land. This was projected as a major issue maligning the Congress party in the media. Vinod Chamoli, a BJP legislator and party spokesman also held a press conference charging the Congress party of giving land for a ‘Muslim University’.

A team of administrative and revenue officials visited the land parcel for measurement. K.K. Mishra,Additional District Magistrate ( revenue and finance) visited the land said that the land was not used for the purpose for which it was purchased and a joint team of police, forest and revenue departments would inquire. He said that initially permission was given for sale for only agricultural purposes but the owners sold it in 15 big plots which was later sold as smaller plots. The Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) had acted against the plotting by destroying boundary walls and put up a board warning general people against buying the agriculture land for residential purposes.