AMU students' union alleges BJP MP trying to 'sully' varsity's name

Aligarh Muslim University Students' Union (AMUSU) has accused the BJP MP from Aligarh, Satish Gautam, of attempting to "sully" the name of the institution by making baseless charges against it.

The students' community made the remarks a day after Gautam reportedly alleged that the AMU administration was being run on "Talibani ideology".

The BJP MP, in a letter to the AMU vice-chancellor, had alleged that the recent incident of putting up a poster showing map of India sans Jammu and Kashmir on the campus proved that the university was breeding "anti-nationals".

He had said the controversy could have been avoided if the university had meted out exemplary punishment to Kashmiri students who had tried to hold a condolence meeting to mourn the death of former AMU scholar-turned-militant Mannan Wani.

Huzaifa Aamir, the AMUSU secretary, told reporters Thursday he has written a letter to the university's visitor and President Ram Nath Kovind, alleging that Gautam was "fanning communalism and vitiating the country's atmosphere for political gains".

Aamir said he has urged the President to take necessary steps for protecting the institution from the "designs of political forces that have no qualms about destroying this university".

AMU spokesman Prof. Shafay Kidwai denied that the university was soft pedalling the map issue and said the inquiry report was "expected" Thursday.

Strong action will be taken against anyone found guilty, Kidwai said, adding that the poster has been removed and the play for which it was displayed has been postponed.