Muslim religious leaders on Friday criticised the proposed demolition of Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur, urging the state government to protect the institution and resolve any legal issues without demolishing its buildings.
The controversy erupted after the Rampur District Administration issued demolition notices for 38 of the university’s 40 buildings, alleging that they had been constructed without approved building plans. The university was founded by Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan.
‘University Should Not Be Demolished’
Shia Markazi Chand Committee president Syed Saif Abbas Naqvi said that while any irregularities should be addressed, demolishing a university was not the right course of action.
“It is a university, a centre of education. I admit that there may have been some irregularities and those should be removed. The development authority should take the required fines from the university if they have made illegal constructions, as there are provisions for this,” Naqvi said.
He questioned the need for bulldozer action against an institution where students from different communities pursue higher education.
“Do only Muslim students study there and not non-Muslims?” he asked.
Naqvi urged Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to direct the Rampur Development Authority to resolve the matter by imposing penalties, if required, instead of demolishing the buildings.
“If the university is demolished during the regime of this government, then this will be a stain on them that this government bulldozed an educational institution,” he said.
He clarified that his remarks were not in defence of Azam Khan.
“I am not talking about Azam Khan, whose name is associated with the university. I am just saying that it is an educational institution where students from all religions, castes and communities are studying and it is a matter of their future,” he added.
‘Future of Students Must Be Protected’
All India Imam Association president Maulana Sajid Rashidi also opposed the proposed demolition, saying the university should not be viewed as the property of a single individual.
“Taking bulldozer action against an educational institution means messing with the future of students,” Rashidi said.
He added that if the authorities believed the university had been constructed illegally, they could take administrative control of the institution instead of demolishing it.
“If the District Magistrate thinks that the university has been constructed illegally, then he could take it under his authority. Whatever the case might be, the university must continue to function,” he said.
Demolition Notices Issued for 38 Buildings
The Rampur Development Authority has issued demolition notices for 38 of the 40 buildings at Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar University after concluding that they were allegedly constructed without sanctioned building plans. The proposed action has drawn criticism from several Muslim organisations and religious leaders, who have called on the Uttar Pradesh government to protect the educational institution while addressing any legal or technical violations through due process.
