Truce arrived at, AMU to reopen on December 1

The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), which shut sine die on October 30 in the wake of protests over a student’s murder, will reopen on December 1. The decision comes after AMU vice-chancellor Dr PK Abdul Aziz agreed to reinstate 18 students suspended for taking part in the agitation.

AMU had seen massive protests and violence after a local goon killed undergraduate student Shahnawaz Alam last month. The V-C was forced to close the university. This is the second time the university was shut sine die after violent protests demanding Aziz’s ouster. On both occasions the protests followed a student’s murder.

But Aziz feels the protests were “politically motivated and not a result of mere student activism. I am being targeted by a section of political workers and former student union leaders who have vested interests in AMU.”

A major complaint against Aziz is his attempt to “curb student politics in AMU.” But the VC said, “There were reports that hostel rooms were being used to harbour criminals and weapons. When we conducted surprise checks in the hostel rooms, 12 criminals, obviously not AMU students, were staying there with help of student union leaders. To cleanse that system, certain drastic steps had to be taken,” Aziz said.  He, however, declined to comment on an inquiry committee probing alleged financial irregularities against him, saying the administration was offering “fullest support” to it.