AMU celebrates Sir Syed Ahmed Khan's 198th birth anniversary

The 198th birth anniversary celebrations of Aligarh Muslim University founder Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, which had come under a cloud following a threat of disruption by a section of students, were carried out without any disruption at the AMU campus today.
A group of students has been holding an indefinite dharna in front of the Vice Chancellor's lodge for last five days demanding a CBI enquiry into the murder of Alamgir, a student of Bachelor of Social Work, who was gunned down in broad daylight on September 18 in the heart of the University campus.
Five persons, including some former students, were named in the FIR but so far no arrests have been reported.

Several hundred student protesters held Friday prayers at the dharna site yesterday to express solidarity with the victim's father who was also present on the occasion.
Shamim Ahmad, the victim's father, who had come here from Saharanpur to join the protests, told newspersons that he would continue the dharna till justice was meted out to his son's killers.
He alleged that some very influential people both in the university administration were blocking the demand for a CBI enquiry to prevent the truth from coming out.

However, late last night university authorities finally prevailed upon the protesting students not to disrupt Sir Syed Day celebrations.

The protest therefore continued but the protesters made no attempt to reach the site where the function was in progress.
Security was tightened in view of the ongoing protest.
Meanwhile, addressing the celebrations, Kerala's Minister for Education and Culture P K Abdu Rabb said that the establishment of special centres of the AMU in different parts of the country was playing a vital role in helping the university to continue with its pan-India character.
He suggested that more such special centres of the AMU should be opened in the other parts of the country.
Addressing the commemorative function, AMU V-C Lt Gen (Retd) Zameer Uddin Shah said that the AMU was governed by a special Act of Parliament and hence the university would totally oppose any attempt to bring it under the purview of Common Central Universities' Act.

He also announced that the central government has decided to use the AMU Bridge Course for madrasa students as a model for helping them join the education mainstream in different parts of the country.