Srinagar, Dec 29: In 2003, the then Chief Minister, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, named the Government Degree College at Bemina on the City outskirts after Kashmir’s revolutionary poet, Abdul Ahad Azad, as a part of his centenary celebrations. The announcement to the effect came on October 25 that year, when the Mufti personally drove the college premises to unveil the new nameplate: Abdul Ahad Azad Memorial College.
 But, six years on, authorities in the Higher Education Department are undecided about the name change even as it had been solemnized by no less a person than the then head of the government. They passed the buck to the civic authorities while the latter dissociated itself from the issue. The story goes like this:
 As a lifetime tribute to Azad (1903 – 1948), one of the well known Kashmiri poets and pioneers of the modernist movement, the then government went for the change in the college name at a much-hyped ceremony. Mufti, amongst others, was flanked by the then Education Minister, Harshdev Singh, at the venue.

Short notice to principal
 The then Principal of the college, Dr GQ Sofi, recalls that the government planned the rename at a short notice. He said the committee constituted by the government to celebrate Azad Centenary Year had approached him with the name change proposal. 
 “They gave me a short notice of a few days to complete the formalities for organising the function. We prepared the new signboard speedily and erected it. Finally, on 25th October 2003, the CM personally landed in the campus and unveiled it,” Sofi told Greater Kashmir. However, he hastened to clarify that the college name wasn’t changed in official records as it required clearance from various government agencies.
 After the ceremony, Sofi said, there was no response from the authorities to his repeated pleas on the issue.
 “We sent several reminders to the authorities but there was no confirmation,” he said.
  “Confused, we got the new name hoarding removed as it would create problems in cashing funds from University Grants Commission. Besides, its affiliation with Kashmir University and official correspondence stands in the name of Government Degree College, Bemina,” he explained.

PDP speaks
 The Peoples Democratic Party, Spokesperson, Naeem Akhtar, acknowledged Mufti’s Sayeed role in the name change.
 “Actually, a committee was formed to finalize the official activities in connection with the Azad centenary celebrations.  I was the part of that committee and we took several decisions including change in name of Degree College, Bemina.  But I don’t know what happened as to why it was not implemented though it was inaugurated by the CM himself,” Naeem, who was a Secretary to the Chief Minister, said, adding that the renaming of the government school at the poet’s birthplace in Budgam district was also approved, and, indeed, implemented.

Buck passing:
 The Secretary, Higher Education, Pamod Kumar Jain, blamed the Housing and Urban Development Department saying the name change of the college came under the purview of the Municipal authorities.
 “If they pass an order, we will erect the board. It’s their prerogative,” the Secretray said. 
 But the Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Tufail Matoo, said SMC had no role in the matter.
 “It’s the prerogative of the college authorities and Higher Education Department to change the name of their institutions. The Municipality has nothing to do with it. We are concerned with the name change of roads, not institutes,” Tufail told Greater Kashmir.
 “If tomorrow the government changes name of some hospital, decision lies with them. We have nothing to do with it,” he explained.
 The Director Colleges, ND Wani said: “Order (in this regard) has not been passed by Housing and Urban Department. Besides, decision will be taken by the cabinet. But we will follow the process.”
 The college principal said several reminders had been sent to the authorities.

Poet remembered
 The PDP spokesman said naming the college after the poet was “an attempt to highlight his role and contribution among Kashmiri poets.”
 Prominent poet, Zarief Ahmad Zarief, said Azad’s contribution could not be forgotten. “He was the son of the soil, born at Ranger Budgam. He immensely contributed to the society and to the Kashmiri poetry as well prose.”
 Zarief said Azad raised his voice against the autocratic rule. “There should be no delay in implementing it (renaming college),” he added.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 29 Dec 2009 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 30 Dec 2009 00:00:00 IST