Ploy Against AMU

I must be thankful to "AMUNetwork", for having aired my submissions regarding AMU Special Centres in Murshidabad and Malapuram. I am also thankful to all of my friends, AMU Alumni and some very senior and respectable personalities who have responded to my mail very positively.

It is time I must inform you all that I sent the above referred mail to the V.C., Dr. P.K. Abdul Azis and Dr. Rahat Abrar in the very beginning in order to listen to their comments before making it public but I am sorry that none of them could get time to respond.

In this mail I would like to draw your kind attention towards another important issue. I suppose all of you know that there was a project of three independent universities for the Muslim minority respectively in Bangalore, Kishanganj and Ajmer planned by Mr. Antulay with the help of a high powered committee appointed by Maulana Azad Foundation, Govt. of India. These Universities may be brought into existence as practicable and modern streamlined projects. As far I know, this project has been submitted to the Prime Minister long back and has his prima facie approval. This shall be better alternative to the so called AMU Special Centres. These universities will obviously be under independent administration without hampering AMU's administration, residential character and without involving any legal issues either. Coming up of these Universities shall have far reaching consequences and shall indeed change the scenario in the times to come Insh'Allah but the Govt. is sleeping on this important issue.

I have two humble submissions, A) one to our Hon'ble V.C. and the other B) to our fellow AMU Alumni.

A) I shall very humbly request our V.C. kindly to concentrate on and find time for the University's betterment if he is really sincere to the University for which has he been appointed, drawing handsome salary and utilizing all kinds of facilities. Few months before a patient of head injury died in Medical College, whom I knew, because of non-availability of a ventilator. When enquired I was told that only four out of eight instruments available in the entire Medical college were in working order and all of those were in use. I do not know how many such patients are dying in our Medical College for the lack of facilities. One day I wanted to visit old periodicals section in the Azad Library, which is situated on the fourth floor. The lift was not working. I was told that it could not be repaired for the last several years for want of funds. A number of Departments in the University, Hostels, Schools and various Colleges etc. are deprived of basic requirements. You will find thousands of such deficiencies in the University for which our V.C. has no funds and has no time either. Yes he has crores of Rupees for the repair of V.C.'s lodge (facilities like Nawabs and kings), his T.A. bills, calling unnecessary conventions in Delhi, Aligarh, Lucknow etc and spending lacs from the Univ. funds only for the sake of publicity, unnecessary huge construction of boundary walls with the steel bar tops (These may be required for the outer boundaries of the University, but not at all inside the University campus), fixing CCTV cameras even in the girls' college and hostels (AMU is probably the only University having such arrangements on which the staff in the Control-room is sitting and watching the girls) etc. This must be an eye opener to all of us as to what are the priorities before our academician V.C. Of course one must be feeling satisfaction that there are at least no discipline problems in the University at the moment. But, having a little experience in this field, I can say with confidence that it is superficial & temporary phase. Having peace with dissolution of the Students' Union and with suppressing, rather crushing the voice of dissent is no achievement. Moreover relying on Police and CCTV cameras for controlling discipline in an academic institution especially in AMU is a mistake, rather blunder. Surely it is not a healthy sign. I feel proud that there is a well defined comprehensive internal system for that in AMU but alas! The VC has failed to strengthen it. It is growing weaker and weaker. He probably doesn't even understand. Our own system must be revived and strengthened. Instead, he is relying only on police. I shall, therefore, request the V.C. again that he give more time to the Univ. than running after the politicians beseechingly, calling conventions and wasting his precious time and Univ. funds which he could have used for the University's betterment. I also know that this request will go unheeded by the VC for the following reasons:

I am posing certain questions to explain:

1. Why Mr. Parnab Mukharji-Dr. Azis duo does not come forward to get the scheme of the above universities implemented? Is it because no University has been recommended for Murshidabad and Mr. Pranabji would not get electoral benefit out of it? Mr. Mulayam Singh won the elections on "Urdu Teachers" and Parnabji on "AMU Centres" as there are a lot of Muslim voters in his constituency.

2. Why Dr. Azis is in so hurry to implement this scheme from July, even without any infrastructure, whatsoever, for the courses he wants to start. Parnabji and UPA Govt., frightened of Mamtaji (She has swept the recent polls with full support of Muslims), has to win this and other seats for Congress in the forthcoming Assembly elections with Muslim support? This Centre has therefore to be started as quickly as possible and our V.C. is faithfully implementing this scheme. Is it because he has to appease Parnabji and UPA Govt to have their sympathy in the enquiry going on against him?

3. Why has Murshidabad got Rupees twenty five crores whereas Malapuram only ten crores? It is understood that the Ministry of HRD was not convinced with both of the projects because of the legalities involved yet it sanctioned twenty five crore for Murshidabad under the pressure of Mr. Parnabji but for Malapuram there was no such pressure. Though not in agreement yet the Ministry of HRD sanctioned Rupees ten crore to Malapuram also in order to balance, to some extent, the decision taken for Murshidabad project.

4. Dr. Azis has chosen Murshidabad, may be because Muslims there are educationally backward, but why has he chosen Malapuram where Muslims are most educated (having 100% literacy), economically very well off and who are already running a number of colleges of Management, Law, Engineering and Medicine etc. Muslim Education Society of Kerala alone is running more than two hundred and fifty such schools and colleges. The V.C. could have proposed this Centre in an educationally backward Muslim area. Is it because Dr. Azis has to appease the Kerala Govt. to have its favour in the enquiry report pending against him for action to be taken by Kerala Govt?

It must therefore be clear in our minds that the interest of these persons in the Special Centres is other than that of Muslim education. Dr. Azis is misusing the august position of the VC for his personal ends and Parnabji for his objectives. It is sad and highly deplorable that the entire game in the name of Muslim education is being played at the cost of the University interest. How simple community we the Muslims are? How long shall they continue this game? We the AMU Alumni are an educated lot. We should, with open and cool mind, sit together and decide the future course of action to stop this menace. No body should be allowed to play with our University. I may be wrong in my analysis. I am writing this with open mind.



B) In the light of the above it is obvious that both Mr. Pranabji and our V.C. shall be least interested in the above said Universities. It is we who have to raise a strong voice in this regard. I have a humble submission therefore to all fellow Alumni that while opposing the said controversial AMU Centres we must raise a forceful, unanimous voice and put our foot down to I) establish immediately the proposed Muslim Minority Universities and II) declare AMU a Minority institution with necessary amendments in the Act to be governed under Article 30 of the Constitution of India..

I had earlier decided not to write against our V.C. in future anymore. But I am not at all sorry to write these words again for I am extremely pained and every Alumnas and well wisher of the University must be pained to see the ploy, our University is being trapped in, not by Sangh Parivar but by the Chief Executive Officer of this great seat of learning himsrelf and that too in the name of Muslim education. Some body has rightly written in an email posting "Is Ghar Ko Aag Lag Gai Ghar Ke Charagh Se".

Aein-e-Jawan Mardan Haq Goi-o-Bebaki

Allah Ke Sheron Ko Aati Nahein Roobahi

I remotely deserve for this verse of Iqbal but I wish that it must refer to each and every AMU Alumnus if he finds the interest of his/her Alma Mater at stake.

Nafees Ahmad,

Ph.D. 1968,

Professor of Ophthalmic Biochemistry, Rtd.
Formerly: Proctor, Aligarh Muslim University

Member, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB)
Member, The Markazi Majlis-e-mushawarat

Address:
G-2, Dream Homes, S.S. Nagar, Aligarh.
Ph: 09319096230, 09868482176, Fax: 0571-2700687

AMU Campuses vs Special Centres vs Visitor’s Permission

Prof. Azis declared that the according of the permission by the Visitor to establish Centres (under Section 12[2] of AMU Act) at Murshidabad (the constituency of the very powerful Shri Pranab Mukherjee, believed to be the force behind it) and Mallapuram (Prof. Azis’s home State) is the happiest moment of his life.

Because he has served the Congress bosses well or served the AMU, Aligarh movement and Muslims at large - Having made no secret of the admission policy by Prof. Azis (though not authorized) that there shall be no quota and admissions shall be made on the basis of All India Entrance test, and status of the proposed Centres is not known as the Minority Status of AMU itself is not known (case pending in Supreme Court) where is the confusion. These Centres have nothing to do with Muslims the way AMU has. It is a different matter that Prof. Azis, the AMU, VC has preferred to sit on the other side of the fence.

Legality and Academic aspects:

Under Section 12(2) the Visitor is empowered to permit establishment of’ Special Centres’, ‘Special Labs’, etc and not Centres. ‘Special Centre’ and Centre are not synonymous as Centre is treated equivalent to department (rightly or wrongly) while ‘Special Centre’ is only a supplementary facility to an existing department.

Furthermore, if a Centre (i.e. a department) is intended, the amendment of the Statutes is a must [Statutes 20(2)(b)]

Therefore, if the Visitor intended to accord permission for a ‘Centre’ it is clearly beyond her powers and a blunder, and the error or the oversight needs to be rectified forthwith, before the President is dragged into controversies.

If we recall, it was till yesterday and all the way, ‘AMU Campuses’ and the VC was making all the tall claims and has even taken several step (unauthorized). But this turn around has a very strong reason- no University can establish two identical departments/ Centres, leave alone Campuses.

Finally but undeniably AMU is debarred from establishing a Campus/ a department/ a Centre/ Special Centre, whatever, beyond 25kms of the University Mosque under the Section 5(9A) of the AMU, Act, so that the Residential character remains protected.

The Govt. is playing game with AMU and the Muslims, for electoral gains, by making false and impracticable promises and unfortunately the honourable VC, whose helpfulness is too well known now, has played in the powerful hands of the Govt. in this brazen way. Are we so helpless???

Prof. Ziauddin Ahmad (Retd)
Dept of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University
Aligarh, India

AMU Campuses: Legal Impossibility Rather a Fraud: Some Pertinent Questions and Answers

A.M.U. Campuses: Legal Impossibility rather a Fraud: Some Pertinent Questions and Answers.

The Aligarh Muslim University has its own legal system based on its Act, Statutes (passed by the Parliament), Ordinances and Regulations. Policy decisions are taken by the Authorities of the University, namely, the Court, Executive Council, Academic Council, Faculties and Finance Committee in their respective spheres, jointly or otherwise, as per the laid down procedures. The Vice-Chancellor is the principal executive and academic Officer (salaried) officer of the University and is duty bound to give effect to the decisions of all the Authorities of the University under Section 19(2) of the University Act and ensure observance of rules (Statute 3 (2)).

The establishment of AMU campuses, if any, is a major policy matter which requires amendment of the Statutes as various departments shall be created. The procedure is provided in Section 28(3) of the Act. The process of amendment is to be initiated at the level of Faculty/ Faculties and then it is passed on to the Academic Council, Executive Council, University Court and the Finance Committee and then to the Visitor for approval. The procedure has not been followed nor shall any attempt made to amend the necessary Statutes, knowingly fully well that such an action does not lie in the ambit of the AMU Act.

1. Therefore, for public consumption, in his usual best, Prof. Azis maintained that amendment to the Statutes is not required and mere permission of the Visitor is suffice (to put the record straight, even the permission of the Visitor has not been obtained, which shall certainly be not forthcoming and what about the restriction of 25km). This is the height of dishonesty and highhandedness, unbecoming of a Vice-Chancellor to bring disrepute and irreparable harm to the University to carry out the designs of the powers for their political gains on one hand and personal gains on the other. It is indeed shameful and disgusting, rather intolerable.

2. The Aligarh Muslim University is an autonomous Residential Muslim University and protection to this basic character is well enshrined under its laws.

The University is not entitled to establish basic teaching units, the departments/centres (synonymous) nor special centres, laboratories to supplement the needs of the existing departments beyond 25 km of the University Mosque (Section 5 (9-A) of the University Act). It is this feature which makes it a residential non-affiliating University. It was precisely because of this reason that Mr. Hamid Ansari had to hurriedly close down the Centres illegally and unauthorisedly established by Mr.Mahmoodur Rahman in Dubai and South India. (The fact that the respectable teachers were in agreement on these occasions tell a different story but a sorry state).

3. As a general rule, no University in the Country is entitled to establish two identical departments nor the MHRD and UGC so empowered. How then, the AMU be permitted to establish a college consisting of departments, leave alone a campus. (Moreover, AMU Act does not have the jurisdiction for establishing a Campus of its own and no amendments to the Act can provide for it). The University does not have the power even to create a post of a teacher without going through the process of creation within the University and obtaining the sanction of the MHRD/UGC thereupon.

Statute 20 (2) of the University Statutes mandates that no department shall be established or abolished except by the Statutes. Therefore, establishment of a Faculty, College or Campus comprising different departments warrants amendment of Statute 20(b). The assertion of the Vice Chancellor that amendment to the Statutes is not required is totally misleading, erroneous, mischievous and dishonest.

4. All claims, announcements and steps taken by an over enthusiastic Prof. Azis, with regard to the establishment of the five A.M.U. Campuses are unauthorized, illegal and ultra vires of the Act and Statutes which surely make a good case to launch legal criminal proceedings against him.

5. The MHRD and UGC, on their part cannot plead ignorance of the entire rigmarole and their connivance with Prof. Azis for past twelve months extending all possible support clandestinely for their ulterior motives. This does not augur well for MHRD, UGC or UPA.

6. How could the allocation of 25 crores each for Murshidabad and Mallapuram for establishing the Campuses be made? The Parliament seems to have been misled in allocating funds for Murshidabad and Mallapuram Campuses in the budget of 2009 full facts seem to have not been placed before in the House regarding the legality and feasibility of these Campuses.

7. The belief of the protagonists of AMU Campuses has turned out to be a mere myth and shattered the hopes of the Muslim Community. With the categorical assertion by Prof. Azis that there shall be no quota and admissions shall be made on the basis of open all India competition.

8. How can these Campuses, thousands of miles away from Aligarh, be managed and administered effectively by the A.M.U from Aligarh? It is humanly impossible. It would be rather more proper for Prof. Azis to sit in Aligarh and try to administer the University properly.

9. Prof. Azis, on his own, has announced the courses to be taught at these Campuses and the teaching schedule without any formal decision by the University’s relevant authorities (Board of Studies, Faculty, Academic Council and Executive Council). Is this the way to deal with such an important matter? Is it desirable to leave a University to the whims of an individual and that too of the intent and repute of Prof. Azis?

All these exercises wrapped in half truths and brazen untruths projected as glittering promises never meant to be taken seriously. It is time for the Muslim Community to guard itself against these platitudes and seductive slogans rather a fraud being placed on them. The only beneficiary appears to be the UPA in general and Minister for Finance, Mr. Pranab Mukerjee in particular who found an opportunity to nurse his constituency at the expense of public funds and enhance his electoral prospects. Hon`ble Prof. Azis would be a natural beneficiary in various ways to the best of his satisfaction, and our dismay and displeasure.

Prof. Ziauddin Ahmed (Retd)

Dept of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University

Aligarh, India