Students Demand Justice: VC Apologize for Al-Qaida remarks and fulfill our valid demands

Long time back in 1999 Vice-Chancellor Mahmoodur Rahman (An IAS Officer with close links with the BJP Government at Centre) said in The Times of India, “AMU Students bristling with ISI agents”. It caused immense damage to the image of our alma mater. Students from Aligarh Muslim University were denied jobs, people looked at them with suspicion and above all as an after affect a student from AMU Mr.Mubeen was picked up from the VM Hall in broad daylight and later branded as “terrorist”. Even today the Hindutva brigades quote that and try to malign our image.

Cut back to 2007. A time when Shivraj Patil was the Home Minister, when news of serious bomb blasts and indiscriminate illegal detention of the Muslim youths were commonplace. During the tenure of Shivraj Patil later another bloody episode happened and that was Batla House Encounter, the Govt. is still mum on this issue. Why Delhi Police killed some Azamgarh boys without proper evidence to link them with any terrorist activities remains unanswered. During this time some sections (RSS group) always jumped to conclusions in any case that “Muslims are terrorist”, our Vice Chancellor Prof.P.K.Abdul Azis, who is said to be the guardian of 30000 students of Aligarh Muslim University joined the same belief by agreeing with the fact that there may be chances that AL-QAIDA/TERRORISTS are linked with an incident of student violence at AMU. We all know at this moment CCTVs are installed at the hostels of only a single university i.e. our alma mater. Vice-Chancellor said in THE INDIAN EXPRESS on 18 April, 2010 “The initiative to upgrade security came from the Union Home Ministry “. The Vice-Chancellor sent a proposal to the Ministry for grant of Rs.10 crore and today we can see the unprecedented surveillance on AMU students worth crores of rupees. When we want books, we want hostels, we want better labs, better infrastructure, government cites lack of funds but everything was sanctioned in the name of “surveillance at AMU”. But why such interest by the Indian Government in the security of our University when they have been silent even after massive violence in other campuses?

In a TOP SECRET letter, the DM & SSP, Aligarh sent a letter to Chief Secretary(Home), UP Ministry( Copy sent to VC, AMU vide R. No 1771/VC dated 06.12.2007) with the subject SECURITY PROPOSALS AT AMU it was stated on page 2, “Jammu Kashmir & Tamil Nadu are such places where Separatist/Terrorist forces are at work, and student from such places study at AMU, therefore we can’t deny the possibility that in the disguise of students or as their relatives such forces may come to take shelter here”. The VICE-CHANCELLOR by remaining silent on this highly objectionable report and by installing CCTV here only fuelled to the oft-held belief that AMU students are terrorists. Why did he remained silent on such a report knowing that it maligns the image of our university and no one writes like this for any other university in India? And above all, as if the Vice-Chancellor sold all our interest to the same tainted Home Ministry under Shivraj Patil, he silently allowed the recording of the minutes of a meeting with the HRD Minister Arjun Singh on 29.10.07 wherein it states, “THE CHANCE OF TERRORISTS/ AL-QAIDA LINK ON THE INCIDENCE OF VIOLENCE NEED TO BE EXAMINED AT DEPTH” and “ THE VISIT OF A PAKISTANI JOURNALIST AND HIS MEETING IN THE UNIVERSITY BE REPORTED WITH DETAILS”( Refer to a letter sent by P.K.Mishra, Director, Internal Security Division, Ministry of Home Affairs to the DGP, UP and VICE-CHANCELLOR, AMU vide Ref. No I.11034/1/2007-IS-IV dated 17^th October, 2007). We the students of AMU, who dream for a secure future and for a life without threat at our campus wish to question the Vice-Chancellor on whether he knows the gravity of linking AL-QAIDA with AMU students? We the senior students see a possibility that tomorrow AMU students won’t get a single job anywhere with such allegations against them by their own Vice-Chancellor. We also feel that those meritorious students who wish to visit or study US/UK or other foreign countries will be debarred from entering such countries as we all know how the world hates the word AL-QAIDA. Why did our own Vice-Chancellor try to brand AMU as having links with AL-QAIDA inviting danger to all the 30000 students of our alma mater? Will he protect us when in the future when referring to this report, Police or Intelligence Bureau will pick up innocent Muslim students from AMU and let them face inhuman torture in illegal detention? The Answer is a BIG NO. We demand that Vice-Chancellor immediately seek unconditional public apology to the students, staff and Old Boys of Aligarh Muslim University for his grave mistake well published in media and dismantle the whole security infrastructure based on such highly objectionable report and inform the Centre that nothing of this sort can be thought of regarding our alma mater.

This Vice-Chancellor, besides linking an unfortunate incident at AMU with AL-QAIDA, has created an atmosphere where students are rendered voiceless and many of their grievances are demanding attention.

1. We reject Faculty-wise allotment of students in Halls- We demand that Vice-Chancellor stop such senseless allotment where senior and internal students are the worst sufferers. Students from all subjects earlier used to live together in a hostel where they grow a collective affection and inculcate general knowledge. By appointing teachers from the same faculty as Provost & Wardens Vice-Chancellor imposed a highly objectionable plan on us to suppress us by own teachers who give us marks in sessionals and viva.

2. End Dining Hall Corruption- Whereas the Dining Charge is Rs.710/month, some hostels charge Rs.300 as deficit and some Rs.20. With the same Aligarh market, with the same prices of food grains why such differences in the quality and cost of dining charges? You ask the reason! Be ready to get suspended or NRSC. Immediately end the culture of deficit and improve the quality of Dining Hall at AMU. End corruption there.

3. We demand Reduction of fees by 90%- During this Vice-Chancellor regime, the cost of every form has increased manifold unseen in the history of Aligarh Muslim University. The cost for the admission in the courses like BA/MA even doubled in this session. AMU authorities even charged for duplicate admit cards like never before. We the senior students are greatly concerned with such fee increase that has happened under a Vice-Chancellor who is known for his corruption. So we demand reduction of the existing fee structure by 90% which will benefit the poor students. We demand that AMU examination forms be sold at Rs.50 for all courses and draft/slip should be of Rs.50 like earlier.

4. We demand that the 200 year old Sulaiman Hall gate be opened immediately whose closure has caused great inconvenience for the library goers and above all the residents of Sulaiman Hall.

5. Even after allocation of 2692.61 lakhs for CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT by the UGC under XIth 5 year plan why is there no bike stand for the students which will cost merely 10 lakhs per Hall?

6. AMU off-campus centres won’t serve the interest of Muslims without reservation (Aligarh Campus has more Muslims for its historic character) and minority character and will erode the rich traditions and culture for which AMU is know from its residential character at Aligarh. We demand that decision for establishing Centres be taken back immediately and request Central Govt for full-fledged minority university in the backward regions.

7. We demand that Vice-Chancellor stop behaving callously to the cause of minority character by not sending its counsel for consecutive 3 hearings at the Supreme Court and remain focus to fight for it till we get it.

8. We demand that Moulana Azad Library be opened for 24 hours and allowed for +2 students so that meritorious students can get the benefit of better academic ambiance. We also demand that Canteen facility be provided of international quality in most of the halls and that a Central Students Canteen be opened 24 hours.

9. We demand that District Administration/Police should be kept out of the campus except in emergency situation with serious violence. We strongly reject their vigilance upon us and meddling in the day to day affairs.

10. We strongly demand campus wide wi-fi facility immediately as promised by the Vice-Chancellor back in 2008 or by room wise free internet through cable points as in IITs and others university hostels.

11. We strongly demand that the scholarship process be made transparent and published on AMU’s official website and AMU announces many more Scholarship schemes for needy and meritorious students.

12. AMU administration is known for its draconian crackdown on the students who do not get proper opportunity to defend themselves before the Disciplinary Committee. We strongly demand students’ representation in the Disciplinary Committee and balance in defending and prosecuting team.

13. We strongly demand that the Students Grievance Redressal Committee be immediately abolished because it’s defunct, has no statutory validity like AMU Court and Academic Council where already student should be present, and because its members are the puppets of University Administration as they are selected not elected.

The time has come that we all students should fight tooth and nail to save our image from such grave accusations like AL-QAIDA and get our valid demands fulfilled. Be Ready!

Al-Qaida to Pakistan: AMU’s tryst with CCTV

I never thought my stint with Investigative Journalism will be so thrilling and blood racing phenomenon. Someone said Charity begins at home and I followed with my inquest into some mindless exercises with a view that there are so many loopholes in the existing story. And bingo! Today I have accessed to some of the “secret” documents which only vindicated my stand.
Long back in March I first criticized the installation of CCTV at AMU at crores of Rupees in a post to AMU discussion forums on yahoo “Whether AMU Students are worst than Maoist?” terming it as draconian surveillance imposed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi in connivance with AMU administration. My contention was when already several Govt. & Media reports are there about the possible Maoist presence in universities like JNU, Jadavpur University, Osmania University etc why then AMU became the first institution in the country to be with such hi-tech surveillance mechanism. Many Old Boys pounced on me as usually by quoting examples of the west and with vague arguments as only those who are criminals might fear CCTV but I smelled something fishy in the whole story(My question was who is watching the watchers?) where AMU administration maintained that it is only for the safety and security of the staff and it is completely in-house mechanism. But the Vice-Chancellor agreed thankfully in the news “You are being watched” published in the Indian Express dated 18.4.2010(page 12 & 13) wherein he said, “ The initiative to upgrade the security came from the Union Home Ministry after VC lodge was burnt in 2007”. But was it only VC lodge or large scale student vandalism in 2007 which led to an unfortunate sine die for such arrangement? Is it simply the local phenomenon of AMU and surroundings that led Union Home Ministry to interfere in the security of a single Muslim University in such unprecedented way? I was only coming closer to the answers with each such questions.
In one of the TOP SECRET documents (written in Hindi) sent to the State Home Secretary, UP by the then SSP & DM of Aligarh vide ST/SSP-82/07 dated December 4, 2007 the said officials state in the Page no.2 that as students from Kashmir are studying at AMU so its possible that separatists & terrorists might always visit the campus. The said officials also went on to state in the same section that as International students from Bangladesh, Palestine and African Countries often select this University, the presence of Internationally sponsored terrorism cant be overlooked. So in that letter the said top Officials of Aligarh for the long-term(short-term proposals were there also) security arrangement proposed for CCTV cameras and other policies which would turn it in a Police state and every activity of student would be under the surveillance of the Government machinery. It was not the local phenomenon but the historic past and the prevalent suspicion about my alma mater led these top officials suggest such hi-tech surveillance as long term arrangement after they got golden opportunity in the sine die of 2007.
In another SECRET letter by P.K.Mishra, Director in the Internal Security (IS) Division, Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India to the DGP, Uttar Pradesh & The Vice-Chancellor, AMU vide No. I.11034/1/2007-IS-IV dated 18 October, 2007 minutes of two meetings were attached for information and necessary action. The first meeting was held by the Special Secretary (IS Division, MHA) on 27.9.2007 which was attended by the DG, UP Police, DG CISF, Joint Secretary(IS), Joint Secretary(P), Joint Secretary M/o HRD, Joint Director, Intelligence Bureau and Vice-Chancellor, AMU along with Registrar & Proctor. Interestingly in this meeting the Officials decided in Section 3(v) that “An Officer should be detailed in the University to hear and solve the grievances of the students”. We student are in darkness about such person till date. Here these officials also chalked out a detailed Security plan for strict surveillance on the students.
The Second Minutes were of the Meeting Convened by the HRD Minister Mr.Arjun Singh on 29.10.2007 which was attended by 1. Mr. R.P.Agarwal, Secretary, MHRD(Higher Education), 2. Mr.Sunil Kumar, Joint Secretary, MHRD( Higher Education), 3. Mr. Goel, PS to Hon’ble Minister of HRD and our 4. Prof.P.K.Abdul Azis, Vice-Chancellor, AMU. Some of the strangest and highly despicable facts were recorded in the minutes and I am at complete shock how the Vice-Chancellor raised no objection about it. However there are some interesting observations in the minutes as “Interaction with the students to be given top priority. They should be weaned away from teachers who are misguiding them. Teachers to be identified and action taken.” The Minutes contained some highly-objectionable sentences like,
“The Chance of terrorists/ Al-Qaida link on the incidence of violence need to be examined in depth”
“The visit of Pakistani Journalist and his meeting in the University be reported in details”
“Students getting admitted in a surreptitious manner need to be looked into”
So the sine die in 2007 after the murder of Mazhar Naeem followed the incidence of massive violence led the Ministry of HRD to point finger at the possible association of terrorists/Al-Qaida with the local goons and student leaders of AMU which they felt “need to be examined in depth”. Shockingly the University was asked to report the “visit of the Pakistani Journalist and his meeting in the University” in the light of that sine die also. I have always maintained this fact that the outside world even till date suspects the association of AMU with terrorists or Pakistan (this meeting had given us International status with Al-Qaida), and such critical evaluation from the Ministry of HRD of the student violence at AMU I am sure could not be witnessed in case of any other university. While Home Ministry sponsored the installation of CCTV at AMU making it the single university in India having hi-tech surveillance and Vice-Chancellor endorsed it as in his words it is critical for the security of students and teachers, we students only asked “Are we terrorists”?
In light of the facts and Minutes of the Meeting with top officials mentioned above, I have certain questions to ask the Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor,
1. Why being the father of this institution you did not object the mentioning of Al-Qaida to be associated with the students’ violence at AMU in the meeting with Minister of HRD and officials from HRD? This is pertinent that the student violence happened at AMU have some local dynamics and this is not worse as its being associated with Al-Qaida? Would the Minister of HRD question the same in case of any student violence vis-a-vis Allahbad or Jadavpur University?
2. Why you kept silent when they went on to emphasize the visit of a Pakistani Journalist at my alma mater in the light of Students Violence in 2007 which only reflect their mindset to associate this country with our institution at any instance? Many Pakistani journalists or students visit India, visit Universities in Delhi, Kolkata or Mumbai but would Minister of HRD would ask those universities to report the same?
3. Why you did not protest of such stereotype suspicions about my university and therefore in the end you happily accepted their long term security plan of installing CCTV and today you defend it as important security for students and staff?

My suspension order has mentioned about my critical writings on yahoogroups on the installation of CCTV. I am suspicious that whether the advice to suspend me on frivolous grounds has come from Mr.Sunil Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of HRD who in the same light is his letter to Shri D.Diptivilasa, Joint Secretary (Internal Security Division), Ministry of Home Affairs vide D.No 3-12/2007-Desk(U) dated July 21, 2008 asked them even then to be watchful on the students who “have started speaking against the security measures enforced in the University”? May be its 2010, but Mr. Sunil Kumar and others must have so much stake involved in the security arrangement. Today the Proctor Office is literally denying me in spite of the written communications to provide me evidences along with the Charge-sheet to substantiate the allegations against me so that I can make an informed and full defence in the Disciplinary Committee which can be construed only as denial of fair trial which is the right of any human in a civilized society.
I am sure of one fact after reading all these letters, minutes, reports to upgrade the security at AMU that my suspension and an expected rustication (denying me fair trial of which I think even my detractors are great advocates) is due to some order from any top authority of Government suspicious of our alma mater in front of whom our AMU officials are silent, who want to impose thought policing and silence those “speaking against the security measures”. A teacher often laments here at the forums that a former Vice-Chancellor once said to the media, “AMU is bristling with ISI agents” and still people did not react.
Be happy sir, we are not restricted to our neighbours only. We have gone International now with this minute of meeting (can be accessed by media anyhow) between Ministry of HRD and our Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor wherein it states, “Chance of terrorists/ Al-Qaida link.”