Internet services suspended in Aligarh Muslim University over Jinnah row

In the wake of the Jinnah portrait controversy, Internet services have been suspended in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). This decision by the district magistrate was taken as students decided to go on a protest for five days against the police inaction. As mentioned in ANI, at least 40 people, including police personnel were injured during clashes on Thursday. Cops also used teargas shells. AMU students were protesting police inaction after members of Hindu Yuva Vahini (HYV) barged into the university the day before protesting the presence of a portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the university. This was in turn triggered by a letter BJP MP from Aligarh, Satish Gautam, had written to AMU's Vice Chancellor questioning the rationale behind installing Jinnah's portrait. The HYV student barged in moments before former Vice President Hamid Ansari was to participate in an event in the varsity. Students have also expressed their displeasure at the lack of security ahead of Ansari's visit on Wednesday. AMU students have also said that they are not in favour of removing Jinnah's portrait, whether they like him or not because it is part of India's history. Moreover, he was given a life membership in the university's student union. They also said that students union and university officials can talk it out amongst themselves and that outsiders should not be intimidating them. Speaking about the clashes, the Islamic Organisation of India (IOI) said that the HYV wanted to attack Ansari and that it was a serious security lapse. They have also demanded an inquiry into the case. "What kind of justice is this where students were not allowed to register FIR and forced to leave the police station?" IOI said. "AMU has been a harmonious campus where Hindu and Muslim students have studied peacefully for years. But now they are trying to change the varsity's environment," it further said. "Our protest will continue indefinitely till the police take action against those who were actually targeting the former vice-president who had come to AMU where he was to be granted a life membership of the students union," the students union said. The students have also started an indefinite hunger strike. To prevent any law and order situation five companies of Rapid Action Force have been deployed outside the university. Source: Business Today