By Md. Ali, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: The Aligarh Muslim University Students Union (AMUSU) has strongly criticized the varsity administration for closing down the campus sine-die following some clashes among two student groups. To shut down entire AMU on such incidents of violence is anti-students and shows the incompetence of the university administration, said Abu Affan, president, AMUSU.
After the clashes between two groups of students around 9 pm on Friday and citing a report (of more such clashes) received from District Administration, AMU administration has shut down the university for an indefinite period beginning from Saturday. The university administration has cancelled all exams and asked students to vacate hostels within 48 hours. It is reported that during the clashes, there were several rounds of gunfire followed by stone pelting in which 12 students got injured.
Clash at AMU erupted between the two groups of students on Friday night [Photo by NDTV]
However, the university students body AMUSU has described the decision to shut down the university as one that highlights incompetence, insincerity and inefficiency of the university in checking the influence of the outsiders in the university — groups which the student body alleged to be responsible for these kinds of hooliganism within the campus. The AMUSU called the decision “a completely illogical and anti-students step.” The students body has opposed the closing down of the university as it will be like punishing the entire student community of the University for the action of few rowdy elements.
Talking to TwoCircles.net, Abu Affan, president, AMUSU said, “It was a group clash which happened outside the campus. The AMUSU thinks that closing the university is a disproportionate reaction. Instead, the administration should take strong action against those responsible for this kind of hooliganism. The university has got CCTV camera installed within the campus and if there was any hooliganism, those responsible for it can easily be singled out.”
The students body regarded the move of indefinite closure of the varsity as one highlighting the incompetence of the university officials, “The only thing which explains this kind of knee jerk reaction is the utter incompetence of the university administration. It has failed to check the hooliganism in the university by the outsiders for which we have been asking them to take strong action.”
Affan was quick to point out that most of the hooliganism was usually done by the outsiders who don’t belong to AMU, “Had the university officials been sincere in cracking down on the hooliganism within the campus, they would have taken action against these rowdy elements but they have completely failed to do so.”
Abu Affan, president, AMUSU
It’s important to point out here that tomorrow (Sunday) a mega job fair is scheduled to be organized by the AMUSU in which big companies like ONGC and Asian Paints are coming. But it is highly likely that the fair will have to be postponed.
“Closing down the campus will certainly hamper the job fair which we have planned for tomorrow. Although we are trying hard to organize it still but we are not getting the support of the university at all,” rued the AMUSU president.
He also said the that the situation in the university is calm now and contrary to the official reports that all exams have been postponed, he said that exam in Geology department went ahead as usual this morning.
“If you close the university at the drop of a hat then the university will be closed for the entire academic year,” added Affan.
However, the university administration maintained that they had to take the decision seeing the gravity of the violence last night.
Talking to TCN, Dr. Rahat Abrar, Public Relations Officer, AMU, also called the decision to close the varsity sine-die as “very unfortunate move” but he rejected the allegation of incompetence. “We are not very happy in closing the university but we have done so in order to check the spread of violence further within the university campus.”
“I think people don’t understand the gravity of violence last night otherwise they would not have called it as knee jerk reaction,” Abrar added.
Interestingly the University has seen several Sine Die in the near past because of which it has been closed down many times. Now this Sine Die is certainly going to impact the academic environment within the university and further affect the credibility of AMU as a center of excellence.