Express News Service
LUCKNOW: In the wake of ongoing indefinite protest by Aligarh Muslim University students following the controversy over Jinnah's portrait, the university administration has deferred the annual examination of the current session by five days. Under the revised schedule, the examinations will now commence on May 12 and would not be rescheduled any further. Earlier, the exams had to start on May 7.
As per the university administration, while a number of steps were being taken to ease out the prevailing tension on the campus, a 16-member coordination committee of senior faculty members was set up to defuse the situation arisen following the row by engaging the protestors and understanding their standing demands. The coordination committee will be headed by Prof Jamshed Siddiqui, Dean Students Welfare and will also have president of AMU teachers' association as a member.
Interacting with media, AMU V-C Prof Tariq Masood denied any possibility of closing the campus sine die and he exhorted the students to come along in taking the campus back to normal.
Meanwhile, security arrangements across Aligarh were beefed up since Sunday evening after some youths belonging to Hindu right-wing organizations, took out a motorcycle procession opposing the portrait.
Moreover, two right-wing activists, allegedly involved in Wednesday’s AMU campus violence, were arrested by the district police. Confirming the arrests, IG Aligarh Zone, Dr Sanjeev Gupta said that strong precautionary measures were enforced and police patrolling in all sensitive areas was intensified. Those arrested under sections 147, 153A of IPC for trying to breach the peace and also posting inflammatory matter on the social media were sent to jail.
On the other, prominent Muslim figure, convenor of Babri Masjid Action Committee and member, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) backed the presence of Jinnah's portrait on AMU campus claiming that it was justified as he was one of the founding members of the university.
"It's all a propaganda created with political motive at a time when elections in Karnataka are underway," he said in May on Monday. The Muslim leader added that it was just an attempt to make it a political issue and real it's benefit in the election. Jinnah's portrait had been ther on AMU campus for the last 80 years but the issue was raised up now.
On the contrary, Rajya Sabha member, Amar Singh opposed the portrait on AMU campus saying Jinnah should not be euologised in India as he was the one who proposed the two-nation theory and got Pakistan created for his own vested political interests.
