Aligarh:
Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee while laying the foundation stone of Aligarh Muslim University’s
Murshidabad Centre at Murshidabad November 20 said that the Centre is a
respectful tribute to AMU’s founder Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and Nawab
Shamsul Jahan Begum, ruler of Murshidabad, who relentlessly
pursued the cause of female education, especially modern
education.
He hoped that the Centre will soon
become a hub of modern education.
Pranab Mukherjee also hailed AMU’s decision to start its centers across
the country and said that the starting of Murshidabad Centre will
certainly wipe out the ignorance and make the Muslims empowered
through education. It is the day of jubilation and it is not the
occasion to make new announcements.
He also said that it is the Central Government’s biggest affirmative initiative to
impart quality education to educationally most backward minority
(Muslims), said Pranab Mukherjee, Union Minister for Finance. It is first ever biggest
extension of any Central University to spread education to the
people who needed it most.
West Bengal Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said that
the creation of this Center will add a new chapter in the history
of higher education in West Bengal. The state has eighteen
universities and Murshidabad will soon become the nineteenth of
the state.
He said that AMU has always stood for secular and
liberal values and it has played a vital role in the propagation
of modern education.
Pawan Kumar Bansal, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs &
Water Resources said that the concept of inclusive growth
relentlessly pursued by the UPA Government cannot be achieved till
education is imparted to every citizen of the country. The
setting-up of AMU’s Murshidabad Centre is aimed at it. He said
that AMU has a long and glorious tradition of imparting higher
education to all sections of the society and it is a matter of
great joy that AMU is being set-up in the land of Tagore.
Union Minister for State for HRD, Smt. D. Purandeswari, said that
today’s function marks the first step in the direction to
establish a new centre of AMU and the establishment of the centre
will cater to educational needs of the marginalized and deprived
section of the country.
She hoped the Murshidabad Centre would
transform into a full-fledged University in the coming years and
will live up to the hopes and expectations of the people of West
Bengal by providing quality education and research of
international standard.
Welcoming the guests, AMU Vice Chancellor, Professor P.K. Abdul
Azis said that it is the momentous moment in the long history of
AMU to go beyond the confines of Aligarh reaching out to the
people living in different parts of the country through its new
centres.
He said that creation of the centre is the most
appropriate homage to Sir Syed Ahmad Khan who wanted to spread
education all over the country simultaneously.
Prof. Azis said
that the new centre will start BALLB and MBA classes with an
intake of sixty students each in the first week of January 2011
and it will start many new courses in coming years. He hoped that
the centre will have more students in near future and it would
attain the status of a University.
Sudarshan Roy Chaudhary, Minister, Higher Education,
Government of West Bengal welcomed the guests and said that the
Centre of AMU will enkindle a new hope among the people of West
Bengal.
Moinul Hasan, MP and Member of AMU Court also spoke on this
occasion.
AMU Vice Chancellor, Professor P.K. Abdul Azis presented mementoes
to the dignitaries. A large gathering including Mr. M.A.A. Fatimi,
Former Union Minister of State for HRD, Maulana Wali Rahmani,
noted scholar and Adhir Ranjan Chaudhury, Member of Parliament
attended the programme. AMU Registrar, Prof. V.K. Abdul Jaleel
proposed a vote of thanks. AMU Tarana team presented University
Tarana and National Anthem.
|