Samastha’s Kanthapuram faction to set up university in Kerala

The Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama led by Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliar will set up a private university based in Kozhikode.

A meeting of the Samastha supreme body named Mushawara held in Kozhikode on Sunday took the decision to set up the university at cost of ₹100 crore.

Samastha office-bearers said that the State government policy allowing private universities would help them establish a university, which will take care of a number of institutions currently being managed by the organisation.

Markazu Saquafathi Sunniyya, established by Mr. Kanthapuram at Karanthur, near Kozhikode, in 1978, currently enjoys a flagship status among the various institutions of the Sunni group. Mr. Kanthapuram has been planning a university for long.

Samastha sources said that the proposed university would be modelled after Al-Azhar University of Cairo, Egypt. An investment of ₹50 crore will be made in the initial phase of the university.

Although the institutions offering religious programmes will be brought under the university, several general programmes giving emphasis on technology, science and humanities will be introduced, sources said. “Special focus will be given on history and languages,” they said.

Although several institutions offering Arabic programmes in the State have been using the word Jamia and Al Jamia, meaning university in Arabic, none of them have the recognition as a private university by the State government.

“We are going ahead with the objective of setting up a full-fledged university with the government recognition,” said Hussain Saqafi Chullikkode, Haj Committee chairman and a Mushawara member of the Samastha.