AMU VC endorses students’ demand for judicial probe
Tariq Mansoor appeals to students to maintain calm
ALIGARH: Vice-chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University Tariq Mansoor appealed to the students to maintain calm even as he endorsed their demand for a judicial probe into the “ruckus created by Hindutva activists “at the varsity gate on May 2 and the ensuing police action that left several AMU students injured.
In an appeal to students on Tuesday, Mansoor said they needed to focus on studies as examinations were round the corner. His request came on the day when students were planning to form a human chain -from the varsity campus to the camp office of the district magistrate -- in the evening to press for their demands.
“I share the pain of our students and was anguished while visiting the injured students admitted at JN Hospital,” said Mansoor, who along with his wife visited the varsity gate where the students have been protesting since May 2 and expressed solidarity with them.
“In no circumstances, students should let their studies suffer, especially at a time when exams are round the corner. I appeal to all students to maintain calm and focus on studies wholeheartedly, and do well in their careers,” he said.
The V-C also said that AMU was passing through a difficult phase where “half truths” were being propagated to create a negative image of the varsity.
“The assault on the university from different quarters calls for both a rational response and thoughtful action, without being swayed by emotions,” said Mansoor while denouncing excessive use of force on AMU students that resulted in injuries to present and former office bearers of the students’ union and others.
To recall, Hindutva activists had burnt effigies and created ruckus at the gate of AMU on May 2, while protesting against the portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah on the varsity premises. Due to this chaos, a programme scheduled to award lifetime membership of the AMUSU to former vice president of India Hamid Ansari had to be cancelled. Later, when AMU students were marching to the police station to complain against the Hindutva activists, the police reportedly canecharged them and also lobbed tear gas shells at them. Since then, AMU students have been agitating for a judicial probe into the incidents..