Jinnah portrait issue: Protest held outside UP Bhawan in Delhi

A protest was held on Friday outside Uttar Pradesh Bhavan in New Delhi against clashes at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) over Pakistan's Founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah portrait issue in the varsity campus.

Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh city witnessed a clash on Thursday between students of the AMU and the police.

Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP), Om Prakash Singh, told ANI, "The situation in Aligarh is under control. We are watchful and will not let any untoward incident take place."

Internet services were suspended here to prevent the communal flare-up over Pakistan's Founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah portrait issue.

According to media reports, section 144 has also been imposed in Aligarh amid high tension over the controversy.

"There were so many messages coming on social media which were creating a negative effect on communal harmony. Keeping that in mind, the DM (district magistrate) of the area has imposed section 144 of CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure)," said Aligarh Additional District Magistrate Shyam Bahadur.

Yesterday, 28 students and 13 cops were injured in a clash which broke out between the AMU students and the police.

The students were marching towards a police station after Hindu groups allegedly protested outside the university campus a day ago in connection with the presence of Jinnah's portrait in the office of the student's union.

The matter hit the headlines after Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Aligarh MP Satish Gautam questioned the portrait's presence in the office, which has been there for decades.