By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Aligarh: The Aligarh Muslim University Students’ Union and Women’s College Students’ Union today organised a protest today at the campus expressing their ‘shock and anger’ against what they termed as “negative portrayal” of AMU in certain sections of the media.
“The anti-women depiction of the historical campus of AMU is not only factually wrong but also an unnecessary sensationalization of a simple administrative issue into an issue of gender bias,” they noted.
The fact of the matter is that as Maulana Azad Library itself has more than 2700 registered female members including PG students, research Scholars and students of various professional courses, who benefit from it on daily basis.
It is only the students of the Women’s College (which is located at a distance of 3 kms from the main campus), students of Senior Secondary schools (Boys and Girls inclusive) and students of University Poly-technique, who are not members of the central library.
Since, Maulana Azad Library lacks space to entertain entire student fraternity, so separate arrangements have been made on the basis of departments, faculties and residential halls through book banks and seminar libraries, they added.
Also, the case is not that the Women’s College students are deprived from any library services; instead the college has its own library meant to cater the requirements of the college girls.
Furthermore, the demand of the Women’s College students’ Union is regarding updating the existing library and providing easy access to the books of Maulana Azad Library.
“The entire Alig fraternity stands firmly behind these legitimate demands and we will ensure that strong and effective book sharing mechanisms are put in place. We again reiterate that it is an administrative issue and not an issue of gender bias,” a press statement added.
AMU students demanded from the HRD Minister Smriti Irani to sanction fund for the up-gradation of the library if she is really concerned for the girl students.
They, however, noted that the Vice Chncallor’s statement was also not in good taste that should be avoided. “We would like to reiterate that the Vice- Chancellor should stop making statements unbecoming of his stature and should ensure that the grievances and problems of the students of AMU particularly those of Women’s College are addressed immediately,” the joint-statement added.
Meanwhile, led by the Millat Bedari Muhim Committee (MBMC) many Muslim social and cultural organisations have condemned the interference of Union HRD ministry into affairs of the Aligarh Muslim University on the controversy of under graduate girls of Women’s College to be member of the MA Library of Aligarh Muslim University.