Sunday, May 1, 2011

AMU shut down indefinitely after violent clashes

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/AMU-shut-down-indefinitely-after-students-scuffle/articleshow/8125813.cms


District admin shuts AMU after student groups clash


Sameer Arshad, TNN
May 1, 2011, 04.29am IST

Aligarh Muslim UniversityAMU shut down indefinitely after violent clashesALIGARH: District authorities shut down Aligarh Muslim University until further orders on Saturday after eight students were injured in clashes between two student groups over demands for the removal of a senior AMUofficial a day earlier.

Officials blamed regional fault lines for the clashes but the students union accused proctor Mujahid Beg of orchestrating unrest to have controller of examinations, Pervez Mustajav, removed. A student leader, pleading anonymity fearing disciplinary action, said Beg had got the proctor's post using the same tactics.

"Beg wants to control admissions and that is why he stage-managed the clash at Mustajav's office to have him removed," the student leader said. He said Beg allegedly took the proctor's post so that he could be on the university executive council and have a say in admissions. Beg also got his sister-in-law appointed as finance officer bending rules, he alleged.

Beg promised to respond to the allegations but disconnected TOI's repeated calls to his mobile phone.

Aligarh SSP Man Singh Chauhan said a Bihari and an Azamgari group had clashed and that cops would arrest anti-social elements among students after the campus is closed. The two groups came face-to-face again on Friday and an argument degenerated into a fierce clash. The rival groups fired at each other.

The university has been closed sine die thrice during Azis's tenure marred by accusations of several
irregularities.

AMU spokesman Rahat Abrar said the university was closed after an advisory from the district administration. "The administration warned that arms were being stored inside some of the hostels and told us that action cannot be taken without closing the university," said Abrar. He said the university also feared more clashes since it was a residential institution where 70% students live on campus. Authorities asked the students to vacate their hostels within 48 hours and postponed examinations.

Vice-chancellor P K Abdul Azis blamed union elections for creating regional hostility and sowing seeds of hatred. He said frequent clashes have been reported among regional groups since then. The students started organizing themselves on regional lines after the results were declared and (this) aggravated the situation. The pre-election rivalry continued and became more pronounced with time.

He accused student leaders of taking the law into their hands and creating anarchy. Azis said they keep barging into university offices. "I would talk to the students and ensure the campus remains peaceful."

Azis, who had opposed union elections and relented only under pressure from students, said the university will be reopened shortly and exams rescheduled.

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