₹5 Lakh reward for removing Jinnah’s portrait in AMU: HKM

AGRA: State president of the Hindu Kalyan Mahasabha (HKM) Manoj Agarwal on Monday declared Rs 5 lakh award for anyone who removes Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s portrait from the union hall of the Aligarh Muslim University and places freedom fighter Bhagat Singh’s portrait in its place.

The HKM activists raised slogans against Jinnah’s portrait at AMU and also torched Jinnah’s effigy.

“It is unfortunate that the portrait of the man responsible for India’s division has found place in AMU’s union hall. The portrait should be removed immediately and Bhagat Singh’s portrait be placed instead,” stated Agarwal.

Earlier in the day, UP Congress president Raj Babbar attempted to downplay the Jinnah portrait controversy.

“Such issues are being raised by the BJP and the RSS with elections in mind. These issues fade once the polls are over. We would not fall into the trap and wait for the elections to get over for reacting over this issue,” stated Babbar.

Meanwhile, two persons Amit Goswami and Yogesh Varshney, a former city president of Hindu Yuva Vahini were arrested late on Sunday in connection with the violence in AMU on May 2 and sent to custody, said police.

They allegedly tried to breach peace by posting inflammatory material on social media.

IG, Aligarh zone, Sanjeev Gupta said that precautionary measures had been enforced and patrolling in all sensitive areas intensified.