'No justification in keeping university open': AMU V-C Tariq Mansoor writes open letter as students continue to boycott classes, examinations

Tariq Mansoor, the Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has written an open letter to the students of the varsity, who have continued to boycott classes and examinations. In his letter on Wednesday, Mansoor said there was “no justification in keeping the university open if classes and examinations are prevented from being held by some misguided elements”.  The vice chancellor also made the “last appeal” to maintain peace on the campus and end the boycott of classes and examinations and said that “indiscipline” will be dealt with “as per rules”. Amidst a deadlock, the AMU VC writes to students saying “If the examination and classes are prevented from being held by some misguided elements there will be no justification of keeping the University open and allowing 23,000 students to sit idle in the university campus.” pic.twitter.com/8QPlpi5mVD

Amidst a deadlock, the AMU VC writes to students saying "If the examination and classes are prevented from being held by some misguided elements there will be no justification of keeping the University open and allowing 23,000 students to sit idle in the university campus.” pic.twitter.com/8QPlpi5mVD

— The Leaflet (@TheLeaflet_in) January 29, 2020

Examinations did not take place at AMU’s Zakir Husain College of Engineering and Technology for the third consecutive day on Wednesday, with students again blocking the entrance, reported PTI.  Some posters put up by student groups on the campus described the situation as a “lockdown”. The student groups are seeking the withdrawal of “false cases” against those who took part in protests against the amended citizenship act on 15 December.  The protests appear to have intensified with female students from AMU Senior Secondary School joining the protest by boycotting classes. In his letter, the V-C chancellor also tries to clarify the sequence of events on 26 January, when students had heckled him during a Republic Day function. Four students had been removed by the security staff  and later handed over to the police. While three of them had been released on 27 January, one continued to be in police custody. Demanding his release, students blocked the Aligarh Moradabad highway , following which exams were cancelled. In his letter, the V-C has claimed that the person who continued to be in police custody was released despite not being a “bonafide student.” Terming as unfortunate the violence which occurred on the campus on 15 December, he said that he has “expressed regret” over the injuries suffered by students. The university has always allowed peaceful protests, he said, adding that measures have been taken to look into the 15 December incident. The incidents are being investigated by the NHRC and the university too has constituted a fact finding committee, he claimed in the letter. Violence had broken out in the AMU on 15 December when police had entered the campus in light of the protests against the CAA. He further alleged that “some misguided people, including outsiders” were not only preventing examinations from being held but were also threatening students. “These elements are threatening students and we will no longer allow disorder and chaos, which would tarnish the image of the university,” he said. On Tuesday night, a group of students gathered at the university canteen to protest against the slapping of sedition charges against JNU student Sharjeel Imam, who was arrested from Bihar on Tuesday. The AMU campus has been witnessing protests against the amended Citizenship Amendment Act and over 1200 students, including those not identified, have been booked in about a dozen odd cases connected to different protests. The students are also demanding the resignation of top university officials for “failing” to secure justice for those students who were allegedly the victim of police excesses during anti-CAA protests. With inputs from PTI