About six years ago, it was amply highlighted in the media that A Central University of Punjab was gifted to Amritsar by the Centre, keeping in view the global eminence of Amritsar. As a matter of fact this idea of establishing a Central University in Punjab and locating the same at Amritsar was envisioned by none else than Dr Manmohan Singh Honorable Prime Minister of India. His immence love for Amritsar and interest in strengthening the system of higher education in Amritsar was the sole motive behind this move. But sadly enough, SAD-BJP government hijacked the university from ‘Guru ki Nagari’ of Amritsar to Bhatinda. Mr. Parkash Singh Badal established this university in his native village GHUDDA (Bhatinda). Ironically the land chosen to establish this university was purchased by close aide of Badal’s at very low price and the price claimed for this land, from the central govt. was much higher and exorbitant. A large number of complaints were made by NGOs in this regard and all fell flat to the deaf years of the establishment, due to the vested interest of the Badal family.
This central university university would have certainly been established in Amritsar if a selfless Chief Minister like Amarinder Singh had been at helms in Punjab. The Badal’s never had the idea of establishing a university in Bhatinda. They lack vision and perspective for the education in Punjab, that is why their policies reflect malice and apathy towards education. It is pertinent to mention here that its almost more than a year, university, college and school teachers in Punjab are not getting their salaries regular basis. Had the central university not shifted to Bhatinda, it would have created huge opportunity for all those who are engaged with the process of higher learning’s through the process of quality education imparted by the University. Apart from academics, the central university would have generated huge employment for the employable youth of the entire Amritsar district and peripheral areas. Why the state Government never had a thought of establishing a State university in Bhatinda? Amritsar being Global town, was the most suitable place for locating the Central University. It has fabulous connectivity by air and rail.
The students from the surrounding district must have benefitted from the same. With the establishment of Central University of Punjab at Bhatinda, Amritsar has lost a great opportunity of becoming the education hub on the Map of world class education of quality learnings. The shifting of this university from Amritsar to Bhatinda was not done for strengthening education there but some other extraneous reasons were behind this motive. Efforts were also made to grab the Khalas College land by some Badal’s ‘kins’ and supporters by misleading the people of Amritsar that they are going to upgrade the Khalsa College to Khalsa University. But the move fell flat because of the stiff resistence by the faculty members of the Khalsa college and conscious People of Amritsar and Punjab. People of Amritsar should remain vigilant and cautious about vicious and selfish designs of the ruling party, especially, Badal’s. They all must unite in giving them befitting rebuff for robbing the Amritsar of Central University.