Row over distorted map of India on college prospectus

PATNA: A photo of Katihar Medical College and Hospital prospectus allegedly showing the India’s map with parts of Jammu & Kashmir missing has gone viral on social media. The college, which is owned by RJD’s newly-elected Rajya Sabha member Ashfaque Ahmed Karim, is at Karimbagh in Katihar, over 300km from the state capital. Sources said Katihar district magistrate Punam on Sunday ordered an inquiry into the controversy.
When contacted, Karim told TOI over the phone that the distorted map of India got printed on the prospectus due to printer’s error and the college had already written to the agency almost a fortnight back for rectifying the error.

Katihar SDO Neeraj Kumar said an FIR was lodged with the Muffasil police station against the college administration in this connection. “Preliminary inquiry made it clear that the error was due to college administration’s callousness,” he said. SDPO Anil Kumar said any responsible citizen should have knowledge of his/her country’s map.

Muffasil police station SHO Arvind Kumar said the FIR was lodged under Sections 153B, 467 and 468 of IPC. He refused to reveal the identity of the complainant.

Within hours of the prospectus photo going viral, SDO Neeraj and SDPO Anil Kumar visited the college and inquired from senior officials of the medical college in this regard. “A prospectus showing the distorted map was seized. The college claimed the error was noticed much earlier and they had written a letter to the printer on April 24 for its rectification,” a college source said. He said a copy of the above letter was also seized by the district administration officials for investigation.

The map was printed on the cover of the college prospectus for admission to postgraduate courses in 2018-2019 academic session. It’s also printed on the cover that the college is affiliated to B N Mandal University in Madhepura and is recognized by the Medical Council of India (MCI) and Union ministry of health and family welfare. It is also mentioned that the college is an unaided minority educational institute.

The controversial cover of the prospectus elicited sharp reactions from the political parties.

While Union minister Giriraj Singh told newsmen that it was an attempt to divide the country, RJD national vice-president Shivanand Tiwari told TOI over the phone that whatever happened is not right and the college must apologize for printing the prospectus with the country’s distorter map. “The present prospectus should be recalled and a new one should be issued,” he said.

JD(U) spokesperson Suheli Mehta said strict action must be taken against the college administration if it was a deliberate act. “But if it’s a printing error then it must be rectified immediately,” she said.

The central government in May 2016 had rolled out law that depicting wrong map of India would attract maximum punishment of seven years and a fine of Rs100 crore.