Anguished over the Centre's move to establish Central University Bihar (CUB) at Gaya and not at Motihari, chief minister Nitish Kumarshot off a protest letter to Union HRD ministerKapil Sibal on Wednesday saying the state government did not agree with this decision.

"The Centre's decision to open CUB at Gaya is an assault on the feelings of the people of Bihar. If you want state government's cooperation, the CUB should be established at Motihari, from where Mahatma Gandhi started his 'Satyagraha'. The state government will provide land for the purpose at Motihari free of cost," Nitish wrote to Sibal in his three-page letter to him.

He reminded Sibal that the Centre had agreed in principle for opening CUB at Motihari but now, he said, it appears that due to some prejudice the Centre is thinking to open it at either Patna, Bihta or Gaya. A committee comprising the representatives of Centre and Bihar was constituted to select the site for the university. "It appears from your letter that the committee has inspected a site at Gaya and sent its report, but I have to say that the representatives of Bihar had no say in this affair. This is the Centre's unilateral decision," the CM said.

Nitish pointed out that the state's biggest university, Magadh University, is based in Gaya; hence there is no logic to establish CUB there. After the Centre's nod, he said, three alternative sites were selected in Motihari. "Today the establishment of CUB at Motihari has become a dream for the people of Bihar. The state government is committed to fulfil this dream and the required land will be made available free of cost," he asserted.

A 'tussle' over the site of the CUB has been going on between the Union HRD ministry and state government for about three years. The state government has been insisting on Motihari saying the establishment of CUB would be a tribute to Mahatma, but the Centre remains reluctant pointing out lack of infrastructure and other facilities needed for the CUB and its faculty. On the contrary, the CM made it a point that CUB would be set up at Motihari and nowhere else.

Nitish further pointed out to Sibal that some central universities have been established in the interiors of Kerala, Odisha, Punjab. Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. "Some of these places are less developed and have little infrastructure and connectivity than Motihari," he said and added that Centre has different yardsticks for different states for opening of a central university.

TOI,Patna