Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday shot off a letter to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh registering a strong protest against the Centre's decision to shut down the Officers' Training Academy situated in Gaya district of the state.
In the letter, copies of which were made available to the media here, Kumar said he came across "the news of proposed closure" of the OTA, Gaya, in some newspapers and digital media. The Chief Minister, whose JD(U) is an alliance partner of the BJP, termed the development as "shocking and very disturbing".
He pointed out that the OTA, Gaya, which was set up in 2011, "not only generated employment opportunities in the region but also contributed towards the economy and sense of security in the area". "It would be very inappropriate to close the Officers' Training Academy at Gaya.
This wrong decision by the Ministry of the defence is against the state's interest and it would be a gross injustice to the people of Bihar", Kumar added. The Chief Minister sought to draw the Defence minister's attention towards the circumstances under which the Academy was set up in the central Gaya district while the Congress-led UPA was in power at the Centre.
Enclosing a copy of a letter he had written to the then Defence Minister A K Antony on June 10, 2009, Kumar said, in his communication to Rajnath Singh, that he "had requested for not shifting ASC (Army Services Corps) out of Gaya because of a number of strategic and security reasons".
Kumar also appended the reply from Antony wherein he "had assured that the second OTA will be set up at Gaya and this would address the concerns of the state government". The first Officers' Training Academy was established in Chennai in the 1960s.
"Defence ministry had also informed that OTA being a category A establishment and premier institute of national importance would provide far more employment opportunities in the region and contribute more to the economy and general security of the area," Kumar said in his letter. He further said, "It was assured that in the event of the establishment of the second OTA and the consequent shifting of the ASC centre, the interest of the people of the region will be adequately protected."
Subsequently, the ASC was shifted out of Gaya and OTA Gaya was established in 2011." Gaya is also on the world tourist map where a large number of tourists arrive every year and has an international airport also, Kumar said.
The Officers' Training Academy provides a feeling of security and safety to pilgrims coming from different places, he added. Pointing out that OTA Gaya "trains not only Direct Recruits and Special Commissioned Officers but also trains recruits from friendly foreign countries", the Bihar Chief Minister said, "steps should be taken to improve the strength of cadets".
The Army had sent a proposal to the Defence ministry for shutting down the academy in view of it functioning "below its capacity". The proposal is said to have received the ministry's nod. "I request you to intervene and fulfil the assurances given to the state government earlier by the Ministry of Defence, Government of India in 2009", Kumar added.
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