By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Fresh off the controversy over the presence of Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s portrait in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in May, the university administration on Friday served a show-cause notice to the librarian of the Central Library, Dr Amjad Ali, for displaying photographs featuring Jinnah as part of an exhibition on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.
The exhibition was inaugurated by AMU pro vice-chancellor Mohammad Hanif Beg.According to AMU public relations officer Shafey Kidwai said the exhibition is an annual affair and photographs and books related with the Mahatma are put on display at Central Library. “The university authorities were not aware about the selection of photographs and thus, in view of past controversies, the photographs were removed...” said Kidwai.
A show cause notice was served to Dr Ali in which, he has been asked to reply within three days, said officials.AMU student union president Mashkoor Usmani however, said, “First remove Jinnah’s photos from Parliament then ask us to remove it from campus. The Muslim league leader had been a part of AMU history,” he said.
BJP leader Shakuntala Bharti however, said, “An educational institute should not be disgraced by a few elements (Jinnah’s photo) like this.”In May, violence was reported on the AMU campus after right-wing activists clashed with students over Jinnah’s portrait at the students’ union office.
Old stir
BJP MP Satish Gautam had demanded the removal of Jinnah’s portrait from the central hall of AMU
