Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has commented on the ongoing row over Aligarh Muslim University housing a portrait of Pakistan’s founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah, by asserting that Jinnah cannot be respected in India.
As reported by The New Indian Express, CM Yogi was quoted as saying that Jinnah cannot be given respect in India and held him responsible for the partition. With regards to Jinnah’s portrait in AMU, Yogi stated that he had directed the university and the district administration to furnish a detailed report on the basis of which he would take action. He also said that the issue needed to be probed thoroughly owing to its sensitive nature.
India Today quoted Yogi as commenting that how could Jinnah’s achievements be celebrated when he partitioned the country. The Indian Express also carried a statement from Yogi where he was quoted as saying that, “Seems the AMU Jinnah photo might be coming off for good”.
The Aligarh Muslim University situated in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh has been on the boil for the past few days, after it was reported that BJP MP Satish Gautam has written to the University’sVice-Chancellorr – Tariq Mansoor, asking him to take down the portrait of Jinnah which was reported to be hanging in the Student Union Hall. The MP also questioned as to what was the need to put up the portrait on the University walls.
Soon the issue came garnered public attention, as a result of which clashes broke out between university students and activists who were demanding that the portrait is removed. Later the activists were taken to the police station where the university students later decided to march in hundreds. The Rapid Action Force which was deployed following the clashes failed to control them and it resulted in injuries to 13 cops and 28 students.
The incident also saw RSS activist Mohammad Aamir Rasheed announcing a reward of Rs 51,000 for anyone who managed to remove the portrait. He doubled the award to Rs 1 lakh if anyone managed to replace Jinnah’s portrait with Shivaji, Vir Savarkar or RSS founder Dr Hegdewar’s.
The situation in the area continues to be tense, with section 144 being imposed in town and internet services getting suspended till 12:00 AM on Saturday.