Not a single university in Murshidabad!! Selective Discrimination !! Heck !!
Murshidabad is the 8th largest populated district in India which has around 75 lakhs population. Even after seven decades of independence, Murshidabad district is still deprived of a single university. The district has very low literacy rate (only 63.88%) in comparison to the national (74.04% ), while state average literacy rate is 76.26%.
It’s very much painful to let you know that there is not a single university in this district till date. The residents of Murshidabad have long been demanding for the same but no attention has been paid by the authority. Murshidabad district has 6% of the area and comprises 7.78% of the total population of West Bengal. As per Census 2011, the total population is 71.02 lakhs and is expected to cross 75 lakhs by now and the literacy rate is 63.88%. Murshidabad has a large concentration of minority population, more than 66% of the total population. Due to the continuous negligence of the state machinary, the area is educationally backward and poorly developed. Backwardness and lack of development are grave concerns over there haunting the population, especially minorities.
The name ‘Murshidabad’ comes from the place known as “Muksudabad” which was the capital of Bengal during Murshid Quli Khan’s rule. Before the advent of British, the city of Murshidabad was the capital of Bengal. It has a great significance in the Indian history as in 1757 the British defeated Siraj–ud–Daula in the Battle of Plassey, after which the entire nation was brought under the British Colonial rule. Historically, it was the capital of Bengal, Bihar and Odisha.
Already 22 state and central universities are there in West Bengal and the Education Minister of West Bengal has announced of establishing five more universities in newly formed districts. And once again the people of Murshidabad have been deprived of higher education although the students and residents of Murshidabad are demanding for a university for years.
The legitimate demand to set up a full-fledged University is the need of the hour. Various students’ organizations and activists of Murshidabad districts have started campaigning supporting the demand. There is a call for West Bengal Assembly March on 21st November, 2017 against this selective discrimination and educational deprivation. The demand for a university in Murshidabad is the long term aspiration of 75 lakhs people in the area and it is at the verge of explosion.
What is this if it is not selective discrimination?? Other districts of West Bengal have got more than one university though their population is lesser than Murshidabad. Neighbouring Nadia district has 5.1 million population and got three university, and Birbhum district has 3.5 Million population and has been given two university. But Murshidabad has around 75 lakhs population but still it is struggling to get a single university. It’s already 70 years of independence but educational and economic condition of Murshidabad is still the same, still it is one of the backward districts of India. 30 years of congress government, 34 years of Left government and the present TMC government led by Mamata Banerjee have not considered this genuine need of the people of Murshidabad. These anti-people government are denying them of their fundamental right.
Why this step-motherly attitude towards Murshidabad??? Is it because Murshidabad is one of the Muslim majority districts of India?
In this context, we call for a gathering expressing solidarity to the ongoing protests demanding establishment of university in Murshidabad. 
(From concerned Bengali students of UoH)
