Ever since its establishment, AMU has always been on the radar of people with hate agenda. We have seen how issues of sorts like AMU Library controversy on gender disparity, demand for celebration of Raja Mahender Pratap’s birth anniversary in the campus, Jinnah portrait controversy, how foods are cooked and beef is served in the hostel mess, and demand for a temple inside the campus, etc. are raised every now and then – only to harm its age-old established image globally.
Only the last week, 14 students of AMU were booked under sedition law for raising ‘anti-national slogans’ after a complaint was filed by local BJP leader Mukesh Lodi. Many student leaders believe that AMU has been attacked once again to polarise gullible sentiments.
However, the statement issued by AMU PRO on February 12 said, “Today a team of the Republic Bharat news channel comprising two female reporters and a camera-person entered the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) campus without the required permission from authorities, while AMU Students Union was organising a programme and when the Proctor Office officials and some students raised objection to the journalists reporting live, a Republic TV cameraperson started misbehaving with the Proctor Office staff. Realising the complexity of the situation, the proctorial staff escorted the two journalists and their team outside the campus.”
Many believe that those who created controversy here may have the viewpoint that it will divide the sentiments of the people and help them politically by polarising the sentiments of the masses. Many believe that the controversy was created because of sensational reporting and partisan role of the police and local administration.
According to an AMUSU press statement, the charges of sedition and others are frivolous and based on falsehood and fraud. The Union says that the FIR symbolises extreme repression by the state. AMUSU calls incident nothing but frustration of the ruling regime to incite communal violence before 2019 elections and that BJP wants to make AMU a launching pad for its new wave of communal politics. “As the fact remains that Modi government has failed on all fronts of development and is facing a tough time of Rafale Scam, it is trying to hide behind the communal colour,” says the statement.
“They were asking farcical questions and labelling AMU with terror and anti-National activities. They were alleging that Barrister Asaduddin Owaisi was in the campus for a meeting, but Mr Owaisi was not in the campus, and his name was used just to instigate violence. When the AMU students challenged the said media reporters on its manner of questions and asked them to seek permission from the relevant authorities of AMU, the reporters heckled the students and the female reporter threatened to frame false sexual harassment charges against the students,” states AMUSU.
On 14 February the Uttar Pradesh police said there was no prime evidence regarding sedition in this case. The police, after investigating video and photographic evidence against the accused students, including current and former office-bearers of the students union, said the allegation did not hold ground and indicated the charges “may be dropped”, the Indian Express reported. Aligarh SSP Akash Kulhary, as quoted by Indian Express, said no prime evidence regarding a sedition case has been recorded, adding that the names of 17 people have been identified, of whom five are outsiders.
Dr Afroz Alam, AMU alumni and presently Head of the Department of Political Science MANUU, said, “If sedition charges are the first resort for an altercation with agenda-driven media channel then let us all stand against this repressive tactic. But my request to AMU fraternity is not to allow the rival political fronts to reap electoral dividends out of it. Don’t allow them to paint your dark image in the mind of our fellow citizens. The protest is needed. Be true, be bold to yourself and protest with peace and modesty as we cannot afford to be called traitor or terrorist or both in our own country.”
Mohd Aslam Khan (Advocate), who is general secretary of AMU Old Boys Association (Delhi) (AMUOBA), told Radiance they are going to Aligarh to take note of the incident and on next Friday they will hold dharna at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi and submit a memorandum to President of India and Prime Minister. The AMUOBA secretary general also informed the weekly that the Association’s Executive Committee has decided to send a fact-finding committee to AMU on 17 February. According to him, the committee will first visit the site of the dharna to express solidarity with the students and support and strengthen the demand raised by the AMU Students Union there. The fact-finding team will also visit the Vice Chancellor, University Administration and the District Administration.
Mohammad Allam, who teaches in AMU, said, “The present turmoil is for Aligarh ticket of BJP. There are many contenders for the ticket. This turmoil has been created to polarise the vote bank. About the temple, there are many temples around AMU where few students use to go for prayer and on particular occasions only. So, there is no use to build a temple in the main campus of the university. It is an issue for polarising the vote and disturb the campus.”
AMU Alumni Associations from various parts of the world have expressed solidarity with AMU students and have also written a letter to the President of India, requesting him to intervene and act against those maligning the image of the University and disturbing communal harmony and peace in the campus.