By TCN News,
Aligarh: The Aligarh Muslim University community could not do much for the victims of the Gujarat riots 2002, said speakers at a program organized by AMU Students Union here on 27th February on the occasion of 10th anniversary of the pogrom.
Prof Arshi Khan of Political Science Dept., AMU, said that India is a secular country on paper but in day to day functioning it is not really secular especially when it comes to dealing with minorities.
He said that the Sabarmati Express train was not put on fire by the Muslims of Godhra. They were implicated in it. He asked as to why the intelligence agencies failed to trace it in advance if there was a conspiracy behind it, when the same intelligence agencies arrest innocent Muslims and claim that they were planning to execute bomb blasts.
Prof Asim Siddiqui of English Dept. also accused the Indian state of treating its minorities discriminately. However, Prof Mohibul Haq of the same department said that India is a secular democracy and so we must fight to get our rights from the state.
Prof Abdul Qayyum of Physics Dept. and President, AMUTA said the AMU community could not do much for the riots victims. During the riots the AMU community had sent Rs 16 lakhs as relief for the victims and survivors but he admitted that they could not do much.
Delhi-based senior journalist Iqbal Ahmad said that the entire AMU community failed collectively to do anything concrete for the Gujarat riot victims. Speaking as the chief guest, Ahmad said that the University should have started some special schemes for admissions for the riots affected children. If during those hours of great tragedy and crisis the AMU couldn’t do anything for the Muslims of Gujarat then it should not fight for its minority character.
He also criticized the AMU student union for not doing anything for the Gujarat victims.
Not only that, he even bluntly asked the AMU faculty: Has any of the depts. of AMU done any research on the Gujarat riots during the last ten years?