By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter
In December 2017, Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi wrote a letter to the Ministry of Human Resources, asking the Ministry to release funds for Kishanganj, Murshidabad, and Malappuram centres. Owaisi’s observations had merit: The Kishanganj centre has no allocated and specified buildings and hostel rooms are being used to run classes. The MHRD allocated a fund of Rs 136.82 Crore for the Kishanganj centre in 2014 itself. Out of this amount, Rs 104.23 Crore was marked for the development of capital assets in the Kishanganj centre. The Centre, however, only received the first instalment of the same after allocation. No wonder, that the boundary wall of the campus collapsed last year due to floods.
But if the students, faculty and members of the non-teaching staff are to be believed, the issue for the Kishanganj is far greater than mere funding.
In an open letter issued last week and addressed to Pro Vice-Chancellor, Proctor and Dean of Students Welfare AMU, students and other members of AMU Kishanganj have stated that the condition of the institution “is deteriorating from bad to worse”.
“The prime concern of this letter is to bring out the arrogance and insanity that we are facing through the hands of the guest lecturer Asadullah. The word ‘ruffian’ can be used to provide enough light to the dictatorship that he portrays. Abusive languages in academic departments, hostel, dining as well as outside the campus.
Earlier, Dr Jawed Ahmad, Guest Lecturer from Department of Education, a handicapped teacher, was threatened. He was also abused in front of all students during the examination of MBA 1st semester and we quote “Langde ki Maar ke doosri taang bhi tod doonga” were the words used by Asadullah. He sends sexually graphic contents and messages,” says the letter.
The students also pointed out that recently, librarian Shafee Ahmed, a permanent staff of Kishanganj centre was “manhandled and demoralised to such an extent that he was left in tears. This is not the first time that he faced this attitude from Asadullah. There have been numerous such encounters that suggest so. The ruckus created was ridiculous and a number of local people were an audience to the aforesaid.”
The complaints against Asadullah do not end there. The open letter also pointed out that last year, Asadullah quarrelled with ex-faculty Dr Asif Khan, using vulgar language while the students were writing their papers. “He remains one the chief reason that most of the faculty left this centre,” the letter adds.
The students, according to some administration members of AMU Kishanganj, are only pointing out what is obvious. A member of AMU Kishanganj spoke on the condition of anonymity to TwoCircles.net as the matter is currently under the investigation of AMU authorities. “The truth is that the director of AMU Kishanganj has time and again turned a blind eye to these issues. A sick mentality of favouritism and political opportunism exists in this campus…issues that can and should be dealt with conversations is handled with muscle instead. Where else will you see a faculty member swearing at a student in front of the director who stays mum?”
The source added that although there are other issues that cripple AMU Kishanganj (lack of funds primarily) the truth is that there is no mechanism to address issues in a manner that suits prestigious institutes like AMU.
A senior member of AMU who has also worked at the Kishanganj centre said that the director had time and again showed a lack of communication skills when it came to handling matters. “In a centre like Kishanganj, it is the director who has to take the lead and make everyone feel like they are a part of the family. Instead, I believe that the director lacks problem-solving skills. This is not the first crisis in the centre. Earlier too, it has faced similar issues.
“If there are constraints due to lack of finances, then the same should be explained to the teachers, non-teaching staff and the students. There is also an involvement of outside parties in matters of AMU Kishanganj although that, at least till now, has not been a very grave issue,” he says.
However, Rashid Nehal, Director, AMU Kishanganj says that the centre has already acted on students’ complaints. “The mentioned person (Asadullah) has resigned and his resignation has been accepted on February 16. We will take all corrective actions needed to address the complaints,” he told TwoCircles.net. When asked what the administration was doing regarding students’ complaints that Asadullah had sent sexually graphic content and messages and if the administration had forwarded the matter to the Police, Nehal said he was unaware of the same.
Meanwhile, paying heed to the issues raised by the students, AMU has sent one person to Kishanganj to inquire into the matters and suggest the next course of action. The inquiry will continue for the next two days.