By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
NewDelhi: The move by Jamia Millia Islamia University to invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to its annual convocation has initiated a backlash from the its alumni who are going to soon submit a letter to Vice Chancellor of JMI against it.
Ex-students of Jamia Millia Islamia, who are soon submitting a letter to the VC, accused Modi along with his party members of being involved in spreading rumours and hatred about Jamia Millia Islamia.
The news, reported on Thursday by the Times of India, evoked reaction from the alumni. “We are waiting for acceptance. So far the request has not been denied. Convocation will take place whenever PM gives time,” JMI VC Talat Ahmad told Times of India.
Even many ex-Jamia students have come in open to protest against the move of University to invite Modi as chief guest. A video of Narendra Modi, while addressing an election rally in Gujarat in September 2008, showed him accusing Jamia Millia Islamia of ‘spending money on lawyers to get terrorists out of jail’. The video has been trending on social media and WhatsApp circles of JMI.
Asad Ashraf, a Tehelka Journalist and an ex-Jamia student who did his masters in Conflict Resolution and Peace Building in 2014 took to Facebook to protest the move.
“I again plan not go and receive my degree in person this year as the Chief Guest is a man who had called my university a breeding ground for terrorists and had put all of us in the dock and under investigating eyes of Intelligence agencies for being potential terrorists,” he wrote.
In a blog written by Asad briefing his stand on why he wouldn’t like to receive his degree from the hands of PM Modi, wrote“Mr. Prime Minister, then chief minister of Gujarat, in a speech delivered in the state in 2008 did not think twice of this history of the University before stating that a University in Delhi called Jamia Millia Islamia is breeding terrorists and its vice chancellor is providing legal aid to the students named in acts of terror,” he said.
“I have no awards at my side to return to the government but I can write in clear words that I being prospective degree receiver this year would not like to receive it from the hands of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has chosen to remain silent on growing intolerance in the society and has in fact given an open hand to fringe elements or what they called as troopers in Nazi Germany to carryout barbaric acts such as public lynching,” he added.
Another ex student of Jamia, Mahtab Alam also took to Facebook to show his dissent on Modi’s invitation.
“Shame on #Jamia VC for inviting the person who spread rumors and hatred about Jamia. #NarendraModi should not be allowed in Jamia unless he renders a public apology on what he said about Jamia in September 2008. #ModiNotWelcome,” wrote Mahtab.
Meanwhile the letter, which is scheduled to be submitted in the VC office, is gathering enormous response from ex students.