BJP event may spark unrest on AMU campus: Vice Chancellor writes to HRD Minister

Lucknow, Nov 28: Days after library row, a fresh controversy has erupted in the Aligarh Muslim University. The varsity authorities and BJP have reportedly got into a war of words over birthday celebrations of Raja Mahendra Pratap, a freedom fighter.

The BJP has asked the university to celebrate the birth anniversary of Raja Mahendra Pratap, who it says had donated land to AMU. But, the AMU has rejected the claims, saying that it does not have any record of the king donating land to the university.

A meeting in this regard held on Thursday between university V-C Zameer-ud-Din Shah and BJP leaders.

According to media reports, V-C has also written a letter to Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani, warning of "massive student unrest" and a "probability of communal conflagration" if Raja Mahendra Pratap's birthday is celebrated on university campus.

The V-C did not name any party in his letter but said that the "political gamesmanship" could lead to "serious trouble".
Recently, Uttar Pradesh BJP president Laxmikant Bajpai had announced party plans to celebrate the birthday of Raj Mahendra Pratap on the AMU campus.

AMU, meanwhile, has decided not to allow any such programme.

The freedom fighter's birth anniversary is celebrated as Raja Mahendra Pratap Day on December 1 every year.

OneIndia News