The old boys under the banner of ‘Voice of Humanity’ (VOH) urged the President of India Pratibha Patil who is AMU’s visitor, to form a review committee for amendment of the AMU Act of 1981.
“We want change in the selection process of the University’s Vice Chancellor and the curbing of his special emergency powers under the Act”, a member of Voice of Humanity told TIA.
The ongoing crisis in Aligarh Muslim University and the frequent closure of the institution because of administrative apathy led to the demand for a major review of the AMU Act of 1981.
The VOH organized a panel discussion on AMU affairs here and passed a resolution asking the President to form ‘a review committee for scrutinizing the emergency powers of AMU Vice Chancellor and the selection process for appointing a Vice Chancellor’.
The resolution said that most of the current ills in the campus could be traced to these flawed provisions in the constitution of the University. It may be recalled that unlike other universities, in the AMU constitution there is no provision for appointing a search committee for preparing panel of names in the appointment of new vice chancellor.
Under the AMU constitution, the panel for appointing a new vice chancellor is purely conducted through an electoral process by the AMU Executive Council and the AMU Court.
Those who attended the meet include union minister for minorities affairs Salman Khurshid, Mohammad Adeeb, MP, Ahmad Malihabadi, MP, Kaukab Hameed, MLA, Z. K. Faizan, Advocate, Supreme Court, Qurban Ali, prominent media person and Bahar Burqi who is the convener of the organization.
Meanwhile in Aligarh, AMU students’ union has launched an indefinite dharna in the campus. Student along with teachers are demanding re-opening of the university, restoration of academic activities, removal of proctor Mujahid Beg, and a CBI inquiry into the clash which occurred between two student groups last week, leading to the closure of the university.
Earlier the AMU Teachers’ Association demanded removal of Vice-Chancellor Professor PK Abdul Azis. Teachers and students are also agitated over proctor statement that students keep arms and ammunition in the hostels. “His statement damages the AMU’s image. The proctor should be removed,” said Abu Affan Frooquee, students union president.