BJP MP Satish Gautam has written to the Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University asking to take down the portrait of Mohammad Ali Jinnah which was reported to be hanging in the Student Union Hall. According to reports, the MP has asked VC Tariq Mansoor to explain what was the compulsion for putting up the portrait in the University walls.
Demanding the portrait be taken down, the MP has also reportedly added that it is fine if Jinnah was revered in Pakistan after the partition but his portrait should not be put up here in India. He reportedly further added that the University should rather celebrate the contributions of Raja Mahendra Pratap and Sir Sayyed Ahmed who had both played a crucial role in the establishment of the University.
Speaking to Times Now, MP Gautam stated that Jinnah’s portrait should find no place in India.
Even if he (Jinnah) is lifetime member, after Partition, there is no sense in still having Jinnah’s portrait’, says Satish Gautam, Leader, BJP #AMUDumpJinnahRowpic.twitter.com/0LQDvewONH
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) May 1, 2018
BJP MP Maheish Girri also took to Twitter to assert that Jinnah’s photograph in AMU is an example of the same mentality that gave birth to Pakistan.
जिन्ना का फोटो 2018 में AMU छात्रसंघ हॉल में लगा होना उसी मानसिकता का परिचायक है जिसने पाकिस्तान को जन्म दिया, फिर सिमी जैसे आतंकी संगठन को पनपने दिया व मन्नान वानी को देश के खिलाफ बन्दूक उठा लेने को उकसाया। AMU के करिकुलम से लेकर अपॉइंटमेंट्स तक में पारदर्शिता की आवश्यकता है।
— Maheish Girri (@MaheishGirri) May 1, 2018
According to reports, the AMU Students Union has claimed that Jinnah was conferred with honorary membership of the University before partition and many portraits of pre-partition leaders have been hanging on the University walls since 1920. Former AMU Student Union President Faizul Hassan has reportedly stated that Jinnah was granted a life membership of the Students’ Union in 1938 and the University has many other things from the pre-partition era like the Victoria Gate. He further asked whether the gate should be brought down as well.
The University Administration, however, has maintained that the Students’ Union is an autonomous body. The Public Relations Officer has reportedly stated that many people of eminence were conferred with the life membership including Mahatma Gandhi, VV Giri and CV Raman. He further added that the portrait is a part of History and it does not mean that the University is a part of their politics.
The hanging of Jinnah’s portrait has now sparked a row on the social media with many users condemning it.
Shocking !!
Potrait of Jinnah in AMU who was responsible for partition n massacre of millions of innocent
What next ?Afzal Guru/Wani??
Indian Muslims r represented by Asfaqulla Khan,Dr APJ Kalam, PVC Abdul Hamid, Brig Usman,MVC n NOT by murderer of Hindu-Muslim unity➡Jinnah— Maj Surendra Poonia (@MajorPoonia) May 1, 2018
No need to shock over Jinnah portrait in AMU. Partition of India was not done in a day. AMU was birthplace of Partition idea, we must have demolished it in 1947 itself. Today, AMU is Radicalizing as A scholar joined Hizbul and Two from AMU are terror suspects in Train blast 2017.
— Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) May 1, 2018
As per latest reports, the Ministry of HRD has clarified that the decision on the matter, for now, will be taken by the VC and the ministry will decide on the issue only if it is escalated to their level by the written complaint. It is notable here that the Students’ Union of AMU has been in controversy recently for objecting to the University Administration’s invite to President Ramnath Kovind for the convocation ceremony. The University again hogged the limelight when one of its students was found to have joined the terror organisation Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.
