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I was
already morose with what Raj Thackeray and
Tejinder Khanna are trying to do in Maharashtra
and Delhi. But news yesterday on small screen of
a reputed channel and today in print shocked me.
The old practice in Bihar that I know was to
donate the land for the purpose of construction
of temples and schools. My own family did the
same in small way. But today the people of
Nalanda created history by mud slinging on their
Chief Minister. The Chief Minister, who is proud
to come from the same area, is recreating the
old Nalanda University with his endeavor as an
International University that can bring back the
lost glory of Bihar. A presentation on the
project was underway in a tent in presence of
the former president Abdul Kalam. The CM was
attending it too. A crowd collected outside
began shouting anti-Nitish slogans and demanding
compensation at current market rates for their
land, which was acquired for the university.
With an over-confidence about the righteousness
of the cause and faith in his people, Nitish
rushed out to talk to them. And the crowd
instead showered the CM with wet mud and
slippers.
Is it the way democracy works? And who decides
how much should be the compensation? Can any one
in the crowd claim himself aggrieved enough to
start taking an extreme step such as on
reported? Is it not a blatant case of taking law
in hand? Did the crowd and its leader if any
followed the conventional route of appeal
against the state? Was the grievance
communicated to the CM, when he is freely
meeting every one in Patna that is so near? As
reported, the compensation is much more than
what other states had given. Further, all the
villages that comes in the region of the
university will be specially assisted and
developed.
However, I again blame Nitishji for soft
approach. His police and home ministry would
have provided information about the possibility
of the trouble. Further, a nicely designed and
planned strategy would have sold the importance
of the project to the people of the area and
particularly the opinion builders.
Is it not a shame for all the people of the
state? Should the people involved not apologize
for their mistakes?
But still I feel the media and the government as
well as some other social institutions would
have taken up the task of marketing the project
and its importance among the people of the
region. Let the people understand Nalanda
International University will not be business
enterprise of Birlas, Tatas, or Ambanis for
profit. It will make the whole area as famous as
the most reputed temple of the world. Will they
not contribute their land for that temple that
will spread the ancient knowledge of India and
the region all over the world again? Are they
not proud that dignitaries such as Abdul Kalam
and Amartya Sen beside many more learned people
from many countries are leading the project of
their area?
Let the people be told about the proposed
university and its purpose. Let them know that
it is neither going to be an SEZ nor car
factory. It will be an education center of
international importance with its schools of
philosophy and Buddhist studies, informatic,
basic and applied sciences, development studies,
natural resources management, international
studies and language studies that will incubate
the best minds and souls of the world. “The
proposed university will try to “recapture” the
holistic traditions of knowledge creation,
acquisition and dissemination as practiced in
Nalanda University centuries ago — in a more
modern context.”
It will also materially benefit the people
living around, as it was the case when Nalanda
was at its prime. After all, an infrastructure
of services will be necessary for supporting a
21st Century University with 10,000 students and
1,000 or more teachers coming from all parts of
the world. It will upgrade the educational and
cultural level of the population of the regions
all around and create sufficient number of
employment too.
I appeal to the people of Bihar that let them
not resort to such a step as they did yesterday
with their honest CM and provide additional fuel
about the poor perception about Biharis.
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Comments: |
I
really feel pity on my homeland
Bihar and will not feel ashamed
while saying that today I feel
shameful about myself being a
Bihari. Why to blame an outsiders
(whether its Raj Thackeray, Khanna,
or anybody) when our own people do
not wanted to come out of their
'laborer mentality'. Bihar has seen
a series of worst ministers in last
one or two decades but how many
times our 'jagrit janta of Bihar'
has came forward to throw stones on
a minister.
I remember a story which I read in
my childhood when during a heavy
raining season, birds advised the
monkeys to build 'home' for
themselves so that they will be
protected in a bad season. In return
monkeys destroyed the birds nest
rather than building a home for
themselves.
Mr Nitish Kumar, being a Bihar
citizen, I apologize from my side. A
person like you is the only hope 'a
poor elite Bihari' has in the
contemporary era and I suspect that
the 'monkey janta of Bihar' has lost
the intelligence to decipher between
'friend and enemy'. - Niraj, MD,
Detroit, Michigan - Feb. 11, 2008
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