Amritsar, 24 March 2011 (Bharat Sandesh News):- Amritsar Vikas Manch has demanded establishment of centrally funded and managed Amritsar Sikh University much on the pattern of Aligarh Muslim University and Banaras Hindu University and affiliating Khalsa College Amritsar with it so that the college not only retains its cultural identity and icon value but also flourishes without any hindrance.
In a joint statement to the press the Manch patrons Prof. Mohan Singh and Dr. Charanjit Singh Gumtala have said that each of the above universities receives Rs. 1,000 Crore as annual grant from the Union government with the result that they are not only among the top universities of the country but also provide affordable quality higher education at a nominal annual fee of Rs. 2,500 only.
They said while Aligarh Muslim University has a student strength of 30,000 while Banaras Hindu University has 15,000 students. It may be recalled that Aligarh Muslim University came into being in 1920 while BHU has been functioning since 1915.
In fact Khalsa College Amritsar too would have been elevated to the stature of Khalsa University long ago during British regime in 1920 but for the participation of its students in the freedom struggle which was regarded as an anti-government activity.
The manch leaders have requested the governing council of Khalsa College to exercise abundant foresight and work for the setting up of Amritsar Sikh University for which they should contact Dr. Manmohan Singh Prime Minister , and an immediate end to the ongoing impasse in the college.
