My views on IT BHU issue

A reoport carried out by The Times of India today

Joshi asks BHU V-C to pursue IIT issue

VARANASI: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Rajya Sabha member Murli Manohar Joshi has written a letter to vice-chancellor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) Prof DP Singh, requesting him to take appropriate initiative for the conversion of the Institute of Technology (IT) into the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).

In his letter dated February 19, 2009, Joshi claimed that he had raised the issue in the Raj Sabha and also taken account of the situation at government-level from the secretary, human resource ministry, RP Agrawal. He was told that the Cabinet had not issued any formal directive for the conversion of IT-BHU into IIT, but approved in principle.

Joshi's letter further stated that he had also requested the secretary to take necessary action in the present session, but due to time constraint it would not be possible. The secretary, however, informed that the ministry could take initiative if BHU formally sent a proposal for the conversion.

It may be mentioned here that Joshi is contesting the forthcoming Parliamentary election from Varanasi seat.

Demanding IIT status, the students of IT-BHU had observed hunger strike recently. They had called off their hunger strike after the intervention of the university administration. However, they had continued to pursue the matter. The Union Cabinet had, in July last, given nod for the setting up of eight new Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) in Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Orissa, Gujarat, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The Cabinet had also approved in principle for the conversion of IT-BHU into an IIT and integrating it with the IIT system of the country.