PTI
NEW DELHI, March 4
The Opposition parties led by Congress and Samajwadi Party on Friday created a storm in Rajya Sabha over alleged government interference in the autonomy of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), forcing adjournment of the House till noon.
Opposition members trooped into the Well, raising slogans against alleged threat to the minority status of the university and government interference.
Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asked members to return to their seats and give notice if they wanted a discussion on the issue but as none relented; he adjourned the House till noon.
Javed Ali Khan of SP, through a Zero Hour mention, raised the issue of Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani declaring offsite centres of the University illegal and threatening to stop financial aid.
The University’s Executive Committee and Academic Council, drawing rights from Section 12 of AMU Act, in 2008 had decided to set up five off campus centres. Three of them were made operational, he said adding the BJP government has now questioned that decision, Khan said.
He said AMU Vice Chancellor has in a statement said that HRD Minister was declaring these centres illegal and threatening to stop assistance.
“They talk of ‘sab ka saath, sab ka vikas’ but want to deprive a large section of population of education,” he said demanding a clarification from the government on the minority status of AMU and other such institutions.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the government is committed to protecting minority status of AMU and other minority institutions.
The AMU matter is in court and everyone should abide by whatever the judicial verdict, he said.
Not satisfied by the answer, Sharad Yadav (JD-U) and Digvijayaa Singh (Cong) joined Khan saying the BJP government withdrew an affidavit given by the previous UPA government and submitted a new one in the Supreme Court, leading to the present situation.
Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) wanted the government to explain the new affidavit, while Anand Sharma (Cong) wanted an explanation as to why it changed the affidavit. “Why are you targeting minority institutions,” he asked.
Yechury said the issue was serious and had the potential of creating very big communal polarisation.
Some Opposition members also alleged that Naqvi was misleading the House.
Kurien said if the minister was misleading, there was provision in the rule book which can be invoked. “If you want discussion, give notice. What can I do?” .
Naqvi said the government was neither opposing, nor supporting AMU.
This led to slogan-shouting SP members trooping into the Well. Soon Congress and CPI (M) members also joined them in the Well.
“This is also vote bank politics,” Kurien remarked asking members to go back and give notice if they wanted a discussion on the issue.
But the members continued to raise slogans alleging government interference.
“I would request the agitated members, if you want result give notice. Chairman will consider it,” Kurien said.
But the members were unrelenting. Kurien tried to conduct the proceedings for some time but as the slogan shouting continued, he adjourned the House till 1200 hours.
A group of 232 sociologists has urged President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rein in violence in educational institutions across the country.
These sociologists from different universities and prestigious colleges and other institutions have written to the president and the prime minister on the issue.
The signatories to the letter brought up an incident at Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh on February 23, where Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarathi Parishad activists allegedly disrupted violently an event at which Vivek Kumar of Jawaharlal Nehru University was invited to speak.
“They attacked Professor Vivek Kumar,” the sociologists said in the letter to the president.
They said the activists also abused and threatened Professor Rajesh Misra of the Lucknow University for his Facebook post.
“The Constitution of India guarantees to all citizens the right to their beliefs and to peaceful expression of these beliefs, but we are deeply disturbed by the ongoing events in the country and feel the urgent need to make a public statement,” they said. “We are, therefore, deeply concerned at the growing attacks on students, faculty and staff of various universities by organisations which seem to have the backing of the authorities and the police,” the academics added.
The group includes teachers and professors from renowned institutes like the Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia, St. Xavier’s College, Guwahati University, Mumbai University and many others.
