AMU students to continue peaceful anti-CAA stir on campus

ALIGARH: Students of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) on Sunday said that they would continue holding peaceful agitations against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) on the campus.

This was decided at a meeting of the general body of the students on Saturday evening and a “coordination committee” was formed to decide the future course of the ongoing stir against the CAA.

In a statement, a coordination committee spokesperson said that from Monday, students would hold a dharna near Bab-eSyed gate everyday between 10 am and 4 pm. The AMU was one of the sites of protests against the amended citizenship law and the alleged police action on the students of Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia. At least 19 people were killed in widespread clashes during the protests across the state.

Meanwhile, Aligarh police have asked the university to take action against those protesters who are not students but are still active in the ongoing agitation.

The letter said that these people, dubbed as “brains behind the December 15 protest which led to violence”, should not be allowed entry into the campus.

The AMU is scheduled to reopen after the winter vacation on January 6. The AMU Teachers’ Association (AMUTA) has expressed concern over the decision of the Rapid Action Force to “belatedly” file an FIR on December 23 against 1,000 unidentified

AMU students for the violent protest. In a press release, the AMUTA said the move appeared to be “malafide and motivated” and was in contrast to Aligarh SSP Akash Kulahari’s efforts to restore confidence by building bridges with all sections.

RAF commandant Piyush Kumar Kuldhar, however, told media persons, “The purpose behind the FIR is not to harass students. As a matter of routine, whenever any personnel is injured or if any ammunition is used, we file such reports. This is mandatory.”