My letter to PM on IITs - Feb 4 2007

To: Dr. Manmohan Singh,

Prime Minister of India
Tel: 91-11-2301-2312 , 2301-8939
E-mail: pmosb@pmo.nic.in
http://pmindia.nic.in/write.htm

cc: Mrs. Sonia Gandhi,
President of Indian National Congress and UPA
10, Janpath, New Delhi 110011 India
PH: 91-11-23014161 , 23014481
E-Mail: soniagandhi@sansad.nic.in, aicc@congress.org.in

cc:Mr. Naveen Patnaik, Chief Minister, Orissa, BBSR,

cmo@ori.nic.in
BCC: Members of Parliament of Orissa

Dear Prime Minister:

To all of us, the people of Orissa, the following news is a bolt from the blue. We are asking ourselves – What wrong, have we done, to deserve this, stepmotherly actions from Goverment of India(GOI), time and again?

Because unlike others:

1. We, Orissans did not in our protests (http://iiser.blogspot.com/ ) last year, use any of the disruptive mechanisms like:

* Rasta Roko,
* Rail Roko
* Bundhs etc

2. Instead we used peaceful and modern methods such as:

a. letter writing,

b. candle light vigils,

c. writing in news media,

d. talked to our representatives (MPs) and convinced them to talk to YOU and the Indian parliament.

But instead of being rewarded for our civil behavior and methods, it seems now we are being punished. In this time of strife and terrorism, in many parts of India and world, is this the message you SIR, want to send to your people?

The clear message seems to be: BE VIOLENT AND WE WILL THEN NEGOTIATE WITH YOU? OTHEREWISE WE DON'T CARE OR GIVE A DAMN, AS TO WHAT YOU SAY.

BECAUSE when those who get violent, get what they want, the civil society concludes as follows:

* Protest violently and you get an IIT or similar institution as reward (example: IIT in Assam, Central Institute of Technology, Kokrajhar, Assam as a deal with the Bodos, Sant Longowal Inst. in Punjab, etc.)
* and if you protest peacefully, GOI will punish you, i.e., even take away an announced for IIT or two.

* Hold us to ransom, YOU HAVE YOUR WAY.
* Do non-violent protest and WE GIVE YOU A DAMN.

We believe in peaceful, non-violent and non-disruptive protests and thus we are again writing to you.

We sincerely hope that you will annul the steps amounting to punishment of taking away an IIT from Orissa. Additionally, you will allocate an IIT for Orissa in the 11th plan, as was announced by your (the union) minister of state for HRD Mr. Fatmi on August 28th at Patna.

We also sincerely believe that the 2nd campus of IIT, Kharagpur in Orissa will not only be restored but will be taken full throttle forward and fructified into a full sister IIT of IIT, Kharagpur.

We are shocked to hear recently in Decmeber the following:

19th December 2006: (Various News reports)

The government will set up the eighth Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy announced in the state assembly Tuesday.

20th December 2006 (News reports)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/IITs_to_come_up_in_Bihar_Andhra_and_Rajasthan/articleshow/870671.cms

With the Union human resource development ministry approval, the path has been cleared for the setting up of three more Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) — in Rajasthan, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. At present there are seven IITs in the country — in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kharagpur, Kanpur, Roorkee, Chennai and Guwahati.

Because earlier we had the following news:

11th Plan: News reports say they will have establishment of three
new IITs http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/459579.cms

Each new IITs: At a cost of Rs 4000 crores over six years.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/459579.cms

28th August 2006:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1933613.cms

"... The announcements were made by Union minister of state for HRD MAA Fatmi at the inaugural ceremony of a new experiment of the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) called "On Demand Examination" here on Monday.

Fatmi said, "The proposal for one IIT for Bihar and two for Orissa and one Western Indian state besides one IIIT to Bihar will be
included in 11th Five Year Plan". ...

Additionally, during a visit to BBSR the Director of IIT, Kharagpur, had, (obviously at the GOI's concurrence), announced expanding the BBSR extension center into a full fledged branch of IIT, Kharagpur. This branch in due course was envisioned to emerge as a full IIT.

Dear Prime Minister, you can well understand our anguish, when after promising 2 IITs you give us to NONE?? This is unconscionable and unacceptable.

We urge you to reconsider your decision and undo the wrong done to Orissa and it's people.

Why SIR, is YOUR Government rubbing the Orissa's civil society's patience and sense of dignity, time and again?

You know how a sanctioned IISER was relocated out of Orissa last year to KOLKATA. The resultant public resentment/hue and cry, was taken cognizance of by YOUR Government. Consequently, the NISER foundation stone was laid by YOU, SIR during rain ruined visit of YOURS, in August, 2006. We were very pleased indeed.

But now it is turning out a palliative. The NISER, a 700 crore institution, is on it's way – but the highway rubbers of the HRD ministry have again undermined Orissa, and robbed it of two sanctioned IITs, worth in the vicinity of 8000 crores. Thus unexpectedly and shockingly now they have decided to derail one (IIT, KGP's BBSR Branch) and relocate the other, to Andhra Pradesh.

Don't you think these kinds of acts of central Government, hinder the forces of National Integration?

We do not want to over again harp on to the details of the HRD Ministry's mal-distribution of resources across India, which you as the past Deputy Chair of the planning commission, and present Chair, are well aware. This has lead to unequal development and massive discontent, time and again and year after year.

To give just one example: 2006-07 budget: MHRD is scheduled to spend Rs 4.07 on HRD-NH (HRD ministry funded higher education institutions plus institutions of national importance) per person in Orissa, where as it will spend Rs 183.08 in Delhi. The figures (published by GOI) make my point, so I don't have to.

Thus we urge you Sir not to loose sight of this gross indiscretion, of robbing the poor to pamper the rich policy of GOI's HRD ministry. We appeal to you to take corrective actions and do what is RIGHT. If you do this will reward and encourage, civil actions and behavior by the civil society of Orissa and else where.

Best wishes,
Sandip