In a novel departure from the common trend of profuse and often exuberant celebrations of New Year while neglecting under privileged and downtrodden people of our society, students of Aligarh Muslim University and Ayesha Tarin Modern public school distributed warm clothes, food items, useful utensils, soaps, etc. to the poor and needy people in different slum areas of Aligarh district, including Maulana Azad Nagar, Wahid Nagar and slum areas near Begum Sultaan Jahan Hall. This Campaign began from University’s gate, Bab-e-Syed as part of their initiative to greet people on this New Year’s Eve.
The students carried banners and placards conveying messages of national unity and integrity, open mindedness, peaceful coexistence and tolerance.
On this occasion, Mohd Nasir, a research scholar in the Department of History, said, “We are welcoming the year 2017 with a strong message of peace, harmony and justice by celebrating new year in a noble way.” He added that people should understand the importance of social work and helping each other without any discrimination of caste, creed, religion, region and gender, etc. and for which everyone should come forward.
Zia-ul-Haq, a research scholar in Department of Persian said that as academicians we need to understand our own responsibilities for the betterment of this great nation, apart from leaving everything on Government’s shoulder.
So, as a team of students called “I Promise’’ which includes Sorabh Ansari, Imran Qureshi, Abbas Haider, Shahid Kaleem, Ashish, Raziq, Akram Husain and AMUSU’s Former Cabinet member Aamir Khan, etc. have tried to organise this event to mark the message of national unity, fraternity, humanity and celebrated New Year in a new way of mercy and social harmony with underprivileged society in spite of usual celebration with bucks parties and fun.
Former student Imran Ali said, “Poor people like canteen workers, rickshaw pullers, and construction workers are commonly seen in educational hubs in India; so being an educated citizen and alumni of this University it is my duty to support all such humanitarian activities.”