AMU VC’s clarification over CBI inquiry

By Md. Mudassir Alam,

New Delhi: AMU (Aligarh Muslim University) Vice Chancellor Prof P K Abdul Azis was called in an open session at New Horizon Public School in New Delhi on Sunday (July 31, 2011). The VC of AMU has been slapped with CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) inquiry for alleged financial irregularities. Prof Azis whose term as the VC of AMU is going to end by January 2012 is facing criticism over the CBI inquiry from AMU old boys and other sections of the community as well.

Prof. Azis presented his side before a gathering of around 100 people that included Congress MP from Kishanganj (Bihar) constituency Maulana Asrarul Haque, some court members of Aligarh Muslim University, old boys of AMU and media persons as well. In fact, he read the questions raised by the CBl related to financial irregularities of about Rs. 2 lakh. The questions framed by the CBI were so cheap that a reputed agency should not ask to a Vice Chancellor of a renowned university. There were questions about like the cost of furniture, the money spent to entertain (dining, tea, etc.) the official guests of the university, the money allotted to the concerned department regarding the expanses of seminar / conferences conducted by the university and so on.

VC Prof P K Abdul Azis

Fact is that, before the CBI two enquiry committees were set up to cross-check the credibility of Prof. Azis. Both the committees didn’t find anything against Prof. Azis and given him clean chit. Later on, under the pressure of a group working against Prof. Azis that also had good connection with the ruling UPA government got success in bringing the VC under CBI scanner. During the open session the VC clarified the doubts that have come to the minds of people after reading the media reports and other official sources.
The AMU VC had repeatedly said: “Let the CBI do its work, and I am ready to take all the bullets. I have done nothing wrong, so the CBI would surely give me clean chit. However, the VC and other senior representatives from AMU shown their displeasure over the treatment of the Central Government especially Ministry of Human Resource Development with Aligarh Muslim University and its sovereign character. The rule book of AMU says that only the President of India has the power to interfere into the internal matters including the Vice Chancellor and his work. But, Kapil Sibbal led Union Human Resource & Development ministry is unnecessarily interfering into the matters of AMU. The open session also brought out a conclusion that Sibbal is behaving like a dictator, and to the height of this he had even not given the AMU VC appointment to present his side.

P K Abdul Azis (center), Maulana Asrarul Haque (extreme right) and others

Of course, the CBI will unearth the whole issue and come out with its report regarding the current AMU VC in a couple of months. Whatever will be the CBI’s findings the whole world will know the truth. However, as an old boy of AMU and also a responsible citizen of India, I would like to raise some questions to the Central Government. Why the Government and HRD ministry is unnecessarily interfering in the internal matters of AMU? There are various councils, court members, and other bodies of AMU that can take care of such issues. If the internal bodies of AMU raise some questions against the VC or any other concerned person of the university, and ask for government’s interference, then only the government should interfere. Next, the outside Police and local district administration also enter the university campus nowadays. This too is illegal, as the AMU has its own security agency, and the district police can only enter inside the premises, only if the University authority asks.

Bottomline is that, the Aligarh Muslim University is the only Central University in India after Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI – got minority status this year) that is providing a limited mileage to educationally and economically deprived Muslims by offering almost all modern courses. Let me clear here, the Aligarh Muslim University is open for all religious sects, and providing education without any special reservation to Muslims. Being the only major residential university of India, the AMU deserves the minority character and the demand is pending since decades. Instead of providing AMU the status of a minority University, the Central Government is playing a dirty game behind the curtains, and the whole university and concerned persons are suffering.

I request the whole AMU fraternity, it’s the right time to take a wakeup call and help the university to restore its glory, otherwise the government will keep on harassing all and the autonomous status of university will be in danger.

(The author is a freelance journalist based in New Delhi)