Published On : Sun, May 25th, 2014

VCan shoots open letter to CM over bungle in starting Maha National Law University in city

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A report quoted Minister for Higher and Technical Education Rajesh Tope as saying that the Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU) at Nagpur would not become a reality till next academic session i.e. June 2015 has ruffled the feathers in Vidarbha Connect (VCan) cap. The Vidarbha Connect and its youth wing, VCan Yuva dashed open letters to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan apprising him of their utter disappointment and ditched feelings. The Minister’s statement that the proposed MNLUs in Mumbai and Aurangabad would commence operations from June 2014 itself has rubbed salt on their wounds, said the members of Vidarbha Connect and VCan Yuva in the letters.

VcanNagpur News.

A report published in a section of print media that quoted Minister for Higher and Technical Education Rajesh Tope as saying that the Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU) at Nagpur would not become a reality till next academic session i.e. June 2015 has ruffled the feathers in Vidarbha Connect (VCan) cap. The statement attributed to Tope has now forced the members of Vidarbha Connect and its youth wing, VCan Yuva, to shoot open letters to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan apprising him of their utter disappointment and ditched feelings. The news report further stating that the proposed MNLUs in Mumbai and Aurangabad would commence operations from June 2014 itself has rubbed salt on their wounds, said the members of Vidarbha Connect and VCan Yuva.

The members, who are fighting for Vidarbha’s statehood under the Vidarbha Connect banner said the reason given by the Minister Rajesh Tope for commencing operations of MNLUs in Mumbai and Aurangabad as they had completed their registrations for admissions to be made through Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) has forced them think of step-motherly treatment towards the region being meted out by Maharashtra Government. The Minister has attributed the delay in registering for CLAT as the reason for deferring opening of this prestigious institution in Nagpur. “This is outrageous statement. We strongly condemn such attitude and request you to personally take up this issue on priority and make efforts to start the much needed MNLU at Nagpur,” said the members of Vidarbha Connect in the open letter to the Chief Minister. TheVCan Yuva went a step ahead and blamed Maharashtra Government’s apathy for the mess.

The open letter said, “If you remember, the first demand for establishing National Law School (NLS) was made from Nagpur only, during the Platinum Jubilee Celebrations of High Court Bar Association (HCBA) on February 6, 2011. Later, the demand was also endorsed by former President Pratibha Patil and also by yourself and your Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. In spite of this promise, we were shocked to see that the project was highhandedly shifted to Vasai. It was only after large scale protests by Nagpur High Court Bar Association that your Government agreed to set up three such institutes, including one at Nagpur,” stated the letter.

“Now it appears that your Government neglected or ignored completing the formalities for registration only so far as MNLU Nagpur was concerned, and did the needful for Mumbai and Aurangabad MNLUs. We want to ask you, why is such injustice meted out to the people from this region over the years, and what is then wrong when we make a demand for a separate Vidarbha?  With such acts of partiality, you have compelled us to repose our faith in separate Vidarbha State, which we think will prosper only when it gets detached from Maharashtra,” said the fiery words of the open letter dashed to Chief Minister Chavan by Vidarbha Connect and requested him to take all necessary steps to start MNLU at Nagpur from the forthcoming academic year commencing in June 2014, failing which they would further intensify their protest, and would not hesitate to approach the Court of Law to redress the grievance.

The letter has been signed by Dinesh Naidu, Secretary, Vidarbha Connect copies of which have been forwarded to Governor K Sankaranarayanan, Education Minister Rajesh Tope, and Minister of State D P Sawant, and Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar.

The open letter sent to Chief Minister by VCan Yuva also covered the points stated by Vidarbha Connect members but added some vital information. The letter said, “We, the youths from this neglected region, once again request you to start the much needed law school/university for the benefit of the region which had produced legal luminaries and stalwarts like former Vice President and Chief Justice of India Mohammed Hidayatullah. We will further intensify our protest if such injustice continues on Vidarbha and would not hesitate to take judiciary’s help for starting the prestigious institute in Nagpur.”

The letter has been signed by VCan Yuva Members copies of which have also been forwarded to Governor, Education Minister, Minister of State, and Education Secretary.