Twitter
Advertisement

Under pressure, government to not give National Law University land on Ismail campus

To diffuse the simmering tension in the Muslim community, which has threatened to "occupy" Ismail Yusuf College in Jogeshwari, the state government has decided to drop the proposal of giving 15 acres on the college premises for the National Law University (NLU).

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

To diffuse the simmering tension in the Muslim community, which has threatened to "occupy" Ismail Yusuf College in Jogeshwari, the state government has decided to drop the proposal of giving 15 acres on the college premises for the National Law University (NLU).

The NLU may now come up in Navi Mumbai. The government has already directed Cidco to locate land for it.

Confirming the development, a highly-placed official in the higher and technical education department said, "The proposal of giving away 15 acres to NLU on the college campus has been dropped now."

When asked about the talks of four more colleges on the campus, as announced by minister of state Ravindra Waikar, the official said, "The minister might have announced it as he is MLA from the same area, but nothing is concrete yet."

Sources admitted that the decision was taken to avoid an adverse court ruling in the light of a decade-old litigation in the case (the Bombay high court directed the government on Monday to submit its plan for the college in an affidavit within four weeks) and also aimed to "deflate" the tension and "occupy college" plans.

However, a top official in the department claimed that the decision was taken owing to a "negative report" of the Public Works Department (PWD) submitted a week ago after surveying the campus "extensively". "The PWD report said even though the college is spread on 65 acres, it's 'impossible' to earmark a 15-acre square plot at any of the four sides of the property as several buildings are haphazardly developed on the campus," the official said.

PWD's version could not be obtained.

Earlier, during the Congress-NCP government, NLU was proposed at the Maharashtra Judicial Academy in Uttan. Vice chancellor BP Panda, who took charge in October first week, has rejected the Uttan idea on the grounds that the place was on the "outskirts" and may be "unable to fetch" students and visiting faculty.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement