It was appropriately named the Raj Kumar College. Founded by the British nearly a century ago in Raipur, it was set up primarily for the princes of the eastern states. In the past, it competed with the Scindia school in Gwalior and Mayo college in Ajmer. But the school’s present is far from glorious. It has shed its tag of exclusivity and joined the growing tribe of institutions accused of financial irregularities.Yet, the school has many pluses to its credit. To mark its 100 years, the Films Division of India even made a documentary on it in 1994. And when the newly constituted Chhattisgarh’s legislative assembly convened its first session in December 2000, the school played host.But today this institution finds itself mired in an ungainly controversy. The college management, headed by Surendra Bahadur Singh, an erstwhile ruler of Sakti, is accused of selling prime school land.Apparently the school sold six acres of the land along the Grand Eastern road for a commercial complex a little before Chhattisgarh was formed. This is already a subject of litigation. And now a fresh proposal to sell off seven acres for an engineering college is raising eyebrows. Singh denies selling any land recently. The Madhya Pradesh government had given land to the school on a 100-year lease. A little before the lease expired in October 2000, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh extended the lease for another 30 years. The state government, reopened the issue in 2001 to overhaul the Madhya Pradesh order but the college management obtained a stay from the High Court.This was the beginning of the confrontation that is now assuming graver proportions. Leading the battle against the school are its former students who have submitted a memorandum to Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi. In the ongoing tussle, perhaps the only person who stands to gain is Jogi. Not less than a dozen heirs of the royal families are still members in the state assembly and Jogi can use the opportunity to get the school freed from their control. As he admits: ‘‘I have advised Surender Bahadur Singh to take the government support in entering into a tie-up with the world’s best institutions to improve standards. Since, more and more complaints are coming, the government will act to bring RKC back on the rails.’’ Perhaps, this controversy will help loosen the royals’ grip on Raj Kumar College.
