Set up by a mysterious woman, the International Islamic Womens College has disturbed the peace and tranquility of Hindus holy city Tirupati under Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. Hundreds of activists of various Hindu organisations staged a demonstration on October 20 at Arani, the Silk Town, 132 km west of Chennai, in protest against the university. People of all faiths and political affiliations in Tirupati, have expressed strong reservations against the Islamic university, which has been built on land belonging to a centuries old temple. Tirupati is the abode of Lord Venkateswara and Goddess Padmavathi and draws millions of pilgrims every year.
The Heera International Islamic College-Women’s Arabic College is a massive six-floor building at Chandragiri village in the suburbs. The college, which is protected by a four-meter-high compound wall, has given rise to a lot of apprehensions in the minds of the people and Nowhera Shaikh, founder of the college, finds herself in the centre of the controversy.
Even prominent Muslim leaders warn that the institution will create distrust and misunderstanding between various religious groups in the temple town. Shamir Basha, a widely-respected Muslim businessman in Tirupati said the Islamic college established last year was shrouded in mystery. “No where Shaikh claims she is from Tirupati. But nobody had heard her name before she started the college. This is going to be a major issue, perhaps more in intensity than the Ramjanmabhoomi-disputed structure issue,” he said.
Sorakayala Krishna Reddy, Tirupati’s historian and chronicler said the Islamic college has been built on the land reclaimed from a temple pond. “The land on which the college has been built belonged to Thimmapuram Venkateswara Temple. This temple was built in 1542 by the grandson of Sant Annamacharya, the music composer. The temple was destroyed by Hyder Ali in 1782. The original statue of Lord Venkateswara measuring 14.5 feet was there in the temple land for a long time,” said Reddy.
Krishna Reddy said the temple land had been given to the priests of the temple by the then administrators. “How this land reached the hands of the present owners is shrouded in mystery,” said the septuagenarian scholar.
The women’s college is yet to get affiliation from any of the universities. Recently Shaikh held a Press meet and introduced the media to more than 300 burqa clad girls who are studying at a madrasa for which Shaikh has the permission.
A senior Intelligence official in Tirupati said he was flabbergasted at the speed with which Shaikh amassed wealth during the last ten years. “She was a non-entity even in 2007,” said the official.
M Venkiah Naidu, BJP MP, said the setting up of the Islamic college at Tirupati was a matter of concern to all. “Muslims constitute hardly 0.9 per cent of the population in Tirupati. The college could have been set up at a place where there is a considerable Muslim population,” Naidu remarked.
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