Our Correspondent / ALIGARH/
After stoking controversy in Central Universities of Hyderabad and Jawhar Lal Nehru University, JNU, the right wing brigade have renewed their attack on the Aligarh Muslim University, (AMU). The local BJP leaders are indulged in maligning the prestigious institution by propagating that Cow meat is being served in the campus.
The row broke out after right wing activists alleged that ’beef biryani’ was being served at AMU Medical College canteen, an allegation promptly denied by the university
Local BJP Mayor Shakuntala Bharti, along with party leaders and several right wing activists, held a demonstration outside the office of SSP, demanding registration of an FIR against the contractor of AMU medical college canteen for serving ‘beef’.
After the saffron protest the local administration order the probe, and after the probe they found “no evidence” to suggest that cow meat was served at the Aligarh Muslim University’s college canteen as was claimed by some right wing groups, police said.
“A police team led by the SHO, Civil Lines Police Station, visited Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College’s canteen immediately after receiving complaints by some right wing organisations that beef was being served there. However, the team found no incriminating evidence whatsoever to suggest that any banned food item was being served in the canteen,” SSP K. Ravindra Gaur said.
AMU Vice Chancellor, Lt Gen (Rtd) Zameer Uddin Shah, on Sunday said that he was “seriously concerned” over the entire episode and the fact that the city mayor had taken up this issue with the police.
“I wish to point out that there is no truth whatsoever in the entire allegation that cow meat is being served anywhere at the AMU campus. This is entirely an attempt to whip up communal tension on a very lame excuse,” Shah said.
“We, at AMU, are deeply aware of the sentiments involved in such sensitive issues and there is no question of permitting anybody for violating the law on this matter,” he said.
AMU officials also said cow meat has been banned in AMU since 1884. “In fact, (AMU founder) Sir Syed Ahmed Khan had even appealed to Muslims to shun cow slaughter during Bakrid, and when the Muslims of Bareilly followed his advice, he thanked them,” Rahat Abrar said. He also said that the contract of the canteen’s contractor is running out on February 23.