Dear Aligs:
Some concerned Aligs in North America contacted their friends and faculty members in Aligarh to find out exactly what has happened which led to the closure of the university. Here is the analysis of the events. This report was prepared by a senior and respected faculty member of AMU and has been forwarded to me by one of our fellow Alig in USA.
Thanks for your attention.
Shaheer Khan
Regrettably the Aligarh Muslim University was closed down sine dine on 7 November '98, following the incidents of arson committed by a handful of anti-social elements. The University will reopen, in a phased manner, from 7 Dec. 98 and by 14 Dec. '98 classes will commence in all the faculties. (Except faculty of Medicine- Edit)
It is on record that after nearly 30 years the academic schedule of the University was brought back to normal in 1996. Admissions/examinations/staff selection committees were held on time and in a fair manner. University property worth millions of rupees, usurped by the land Mafia, has been recovered and made secure by erecting the campus boundary wall. Since November 96 the campus had been almost trouble-free. A special convocation was held on 17 October '98 in which D.Litt. (Hon. Causa) was conferred upon H.E. Navin Ramgoolam, Prime Minister of Mauritius, in a very impressive function. The Vice Chancellor had left for Mauritius in the last week of October '98 for delivering a series of lectures and was expected to return on 6 November '98. It was during his absence that the one month-old strike by the Junior Doctors, AMU Medical College took a nasty turn. These doctors had been on strike, pressing for their higher pay scales, an issue which is decided by the Central Govt. The University could not resolve this matter on its own in that it entails financial implications and grants which are sanctioned only by the Govt. On 4 November '98 while negotiations were on and the meeting of Junior Doctors was in session, considering the package offered by the University, some unidentified persons allegedly barged in and attacked the striking doctors. As a result, some of the doctors were injured. This was followed by ghastly revenge attacks on the night of 4 November '98, resulting in the total destruction and arson at the Pro-Vice Chancellor's house, Proctor's Office, and Medical College etc. Since the VC was abroad and expected to return after a couple of days the University authorities did not call in police, lest it might aggravate the situation. For avoiding any further damage, the University was closed down. Winter vacations, scheduled originally for Dec. 98, were advanced to Nov. '98 in order to compensate for the loss of studies. Talks have been held among the top Govt. officials, local MP, VC and junior doctors in the last week. The Govt. has now revised their pay packet.
Since no student, other than the junior doctors, was involved
in the above incidents, it is earnestly hoped that on their
return the students will devote themselves to studies and the
academic calendar will be faithfully observed, as it was done in
96-97 and 97-98, as a result of which admissions/examinations
were held and no untoward incident had tarnished the image of the
AMU.
It is indeed deplorable that the University has been closed down, at least, 10 times in the last 18 years during the tenure of 4 VC's (Mr. Syed Hamid/Mr. Hashim Ali/Dr. Farooqui/Mr. M. Rahman). The malaise in very deep rooted. AMU well-wishers should carefully and perceptively analyze the causes/contributing factors for this frequent break down. The residential pattern of the AMU, role of the AMU Old Boys, some of whom are known political leaders at the national level, mode of the VC's appointment, ever-increasing number of students on the campus (present strength is 27,000 plus) in the face of inadequate facilities, falling standards of education in general and of the AMU faculty in particular, over-politicised atmosphere in the country, lack of motivation among students, centralization of authority, weakening teacher-taught relationship, active involvement of a section of University teachers in politics etc. are some of the issues which should be debated and resolved in the best interests of the institution , the AMU.
AMU STAFF ASSOC. SCHEME - V. C. MUST GO
Syed M. Naseem, Ph.D.(Grade 2, to Ph.D. and staff of AMU 1952-1970)
The Executive Council of the Association of Indian Muslims, Washington D.C. assigned me to analyze the reasons of recent sine die closure of the Aligarh Muslim University. I met numerous academicians, alumni and administrators of AMU specifically for this purpose. The partial list is as follows:
Vice Chancellor, Pro Vice Chancellor, Deputy Proctor , Public Relation Officer, Secretary Student's Union ,Dean, Faculty of Life SciencesSecretary Games committee Principal Plus 2 colleges Deputy registrar, Department of AMU Alumni Member of the AMU Court Secretary general, Old Boys Association, Aligarh Mr. Sayed Hamid, Ex vice Chancellor, AMU Mr. Syed Mahmood Ali, Retired Joint Secretary, Govt. of India and Ex AMU RegistrarMr. Waris Qidwai, Retired Joint Secretary Govt. of India, and AMU Alumni Prof. Aftab Zaidi, Director of Hamdard Administrative Coaching School, and former Dean Faculty of Sciences, AMUSecretary, AMU staff AssociationMr. Tariq Hassan, Journalist, AMU Alumni, Prof. Saleemuddin, Coordinator Institute of Biotechnology, AMUSenior Professors and Head of the Departments, of various Faculties including senior staff members of the J. L. N. Medical college.
Following report submitted to the Association of Indian Muslims of North America, Washington, D. C. along with a brief historical perspective of the Aligarh Muslim university.
Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has a long history. A history that is replete with instances with excellence as well as of chaos. It so often becomes a center of controversy. The genesis of all these would take volumes to numerate. However, it would suffice to trace back its history since the date of Indian independence. The university underwent a sudden transformation because of the partition. Much of the faculty and student left the university and it left a void in the university community. The new cultural ethos and social milieu that took over after independence had totally different attitudinal values and perception objectives. The background from where they came also differed a lot from the past.
In those traumatic days, Dr. Zakir Hussain took over the reign of the Vice chancellor ship. His main objective was to protect it from the attacks on it by the majority chauvinistic elements who saw the university as the prime mover of the two nation theories. Nothing was the par from the truth, yet, in those surcharged days, the Muslims were in deep morass and not in a position to counter such malicious propaganda and attacks. It was the vision and approach of Dr. Zakir Hussain that he deflected those attacks and saved the university of total annihilation. His second objective was to ensure that he gets back some of the best faculty. He did succeed in both these objectives, to a very large extent. However, at the end of his tenure he was also disillusioned person. The reason was his feeling at not being able to achieve what he wanted and a response from the university community that beheld the prevailing reality of Muslim community.
Since than many eminent academician and administrators have the donned the mantle of Vice chancellor ships, starting with Col. B.H. Zaidi, Tayyabji, Ali Yawar Jung, Professor Abdul Aleem, Prof. A. M. Khusru, Mr. Sayed Hamid, Mr. S. Hashim Ali, Prof. M. N. Farooqui and now Mr. Mahmoodur Rahman. The names are such as to awe and confidence at the same time. Most of these gentlemen had to face difficult situation at some point of their tenure, and the recent ones had more such occasions. The reason may variable with everyone, however a common factor can be located. That is the rapidly changing social scenes and cultural background. The students and staff started coming from a totally different background with totally changed perceptions about the university and about their own future objectives and perceptions. The consequent result was erosion of the cherished values of the institution, as well as an approach towards their stay at Aligarh, which reflected more materialistic and short term gains.It would not be out of order to say that a fair amount of all these was also contributed by a policy of the government of India towards the university, which at best reflected patronization and on most of the times indifference and apathy. The AMU act, is a document that is full of contradictions and non-operable clauses, and which is often becomes the base of the many of the conflicts which surface on the campus. The act is obsolete, with a direction totally in conflict with the modern day dynamics and urges. No modern Muslim leaderships, whatever there is, are bothered about the same. Thus the Vice Chancellor has to govern with the same old instrument. It is indeed a tragedy that an institution like Aligarh is being left to drift directionlessly.
Mr. Mahmoodur Rahman, the present incumbent of the office of the Vice-Chancellor took over the reign in a period when the university was virtually being over-run by hoodlums. When Mahmoodur Rahman assumed the Vice Chancellorship, there was no law and order, no academic activity, examinations and admissions became riddled with corruption and unfair practices [See Association of Indian Muslims, Washington, D. C. appeal and Resolution (against Prof. Naseem Farooqui, V.C.), to the President of India, signed by more than two hundred fifty AMU Alumni, July, 1994]. As such, Mr. M. Rahman, priority was to put the university back on the rails, get rid of the undesirable elements and cleans the examination and admission process of the malpractice. There is no doubt that in his initial two years, he succeeded to a very large extent in achieving most of those objectives. He got rid of most of the undesirable elements, introduced an impartial and unbiased justice in admission and examination processes. The academic, examination and admission calendar fully brought back on schedule. His sometimes "strongman tactics" paid off. He also carried out a massive operation of consolidation of the university property, encroached upon and acquired by all and sundry. So much so that big game players also entered the scene, and even a teacher was killed for doing his duty as proctor. The real estate worth three hundred crores had now been restored back to the university. Still more than hundred acres of the university land are under the possession of land Mafia including many university teachers and staff. The university has earned a distinction by announcing results of the entrance tests within 24 hours to implement impartiality in the selection processes.
During my contact with various professors, administrative staff and alumni certain grievances, against Vice Chancellor, also came to my attention.
(a)-Lack of trust and interaction of the Vice Chancellor, with
the faculty, resulted in total alienation from the entire
university community.
(b)-Assigned six important office portfolios to one person, thus
Vice chancellor has become inaccessible to other university
staff.
(c)-The university at the moment has no principals to the Medical
college, Engineering college, Tibbya college, Women's college,
Administrative Staff college, University polytechnic. All these
institutions have ad-hock appointees.
(d)-Even the Senior Secondary Schools, for both boys and girls,
which are feeder institutions for professional courses are not
being headed by regular appointees.
(e)-Vice chancellors frequent out of the campus for long
duration.
(f)-Vice Chancellor himself sheltering some undesirable elements
(President of the student's union). The closure of the university
primarily attributed to the role of the same element.
These allegations forcefully refuted or logical explanation
provided by the Vice chancellor, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Deputy
Proctor, Secretary Game's Committee and many others. I obtained a
copy of the Staff Association Resolution against the Vice
Chancellor. After reading the AMU Staff Resolution and in-depth
discussion with many concerned individuals, I came to the
conclusion that at least 50% of the staff members are against the
Vice Chancellor. These staff members are applying corrupt and
deceitful strategy to drive the Vice Chancellor out of office.
Four items Resolution, passed on Nov. 12, 1998 at 6 P.M. by AMU
Staff Association, demanding removal of the Vice Chancellor are
(1)-Statement of V.C. AMU Campus bristling with I.S.I. agents
(2)-Statement regarding Vande matram
(3)-Statement on minority character of AMU suggesting abolition
of "Minority Character" and deletion of word
"MUSLIM" from the name of the University
(4)-Giving communal and casteist twist to recent events.
Evidently, Mr. Mahmoodur Rehman is very inflexible administrator and honest in admission and examinations' procedures. Therefore, innumerable wards of the staff members were not admitted to many professional schools, though admissions granted to their children and dependents in various Arts, Sciences and Commerce Faculties. A counter Resolution also signed by the rest of the staff members, condemning undemocratic procedures adopted to pass the first Resolution. Latest Resolution expressed confidence in the Administration of the university. This Resolution also censured the current office bearers of the staff Association for their fallacious action and defaming the university. It was very encouraging to note that 95% of the student's body did not support or participate in the strike called by the Junior Doctors Organization (JDO, See PVC report on internet). The student body also resisted a tremendous pressure from several members of the university staff, who wanted to use this opportunity to get rid of the Vice Chancellor. The role of a very reputed retired Professor of the university was also very questionable. He tried to gather support for striking JDOs (Aligarh), from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
It was inappropriate on the part of many alumni residing in North America to pass a Resolution against the Vice Chancellor. Thanks to the Association of Indian Muslim, Washington, D. C. and Mr. Tariq Farooqui, who steped in and recommended a thorough and impartial investigation before initiating any action against the Vice Chancellor.
SYED M. NASEEM
