Aligarh, 11 Nov 2014 : Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani Tuesday said that reports of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) vice chancellor barring girls from accessing the varsity’s library are “hurting and agitating”.
The ministry, through the secretary of higher education, has also sought information on the incident.
“On the 125th birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, some reports of daughters being insulted are coming, which being a woman are hurting and agitating…” Irani said.
She said it was unfortunate that such statements were coming on a day when the country is celebrating National Education Day.
Aligarh Muslim University Vice Chancellor Lieutenant General Zameer Uddin Shah had Monday turned down a demand from students of Women’s College for access to the university’s Maulana Azad Library, saying that there would be “four times more boys” in the library if girls were allowed in.
However, he Tuesday said that his statement has been sensationalised.
“These reports are completely wrong. I said there is no space for even a single seat in that library. We are not sexist and we also want women empowerment and certainly don’t want to segregate our girls,” Shah said.
Defending himself, Shah added: “In the women’s college we have given grants of Rs.11 lakh so that the library could be improved with air conditioners like in the Maulana Azad Library. Every book which is there at Maulana Library is already available online for the girls.”
Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptulla said that such statements coming from the head of an institution are “shocking”.
Congress leader Rashid Alvi condemned the statement, adding that it was “disrespectful” towards women.
The girl students want access to the Maulana Azad central library as a matter of right which has long been denied to them by successive vice chancellors.
“The officials believe that if the girls are allowed, the library would become more a rendezvous than a serious intellectual platform to pursue studies, and this may not be palatable to the conservative sections of opinion on the campus,” an ex-student not wanting to be named, said.
Aligarh Muslim University’s (AMU) Women’s College Students Union President Gulfiza Khan said Tuesday that instead of imposing restrictions on girls, the college authorities should introduce safety measures. She urged the university administration to facilitate extra ambulance services with round-the-clock medical services, extension of library and high speed Wi-Fi on the college campus.
Afra Khanum, honorary secretary, requested the university authorities to build a visitor’s room for visiting parents and guardians of the girls.
Responding to the media hype, the university administration Tuesday denied there was any ban on the entry of girl students in the Maulana Azad Library.
An official told IANS: “The University has not imposed or introduced any new rule regarding membership to Maulana Azad Library as the media reports seem to mischievously suggest. Moreover, the University is in the process of digitizing all its libraries to resolve the problem of physical space in Maulana Azad Library.”——————-IANS
This VC has made AMU a laughable stock. Every time its in the news because of some MULLAH talks. Instead of making arrangements for the girls to visit libraries, he is trying to impose 8th century diktats in the university. He should understand that the university is a government property run by the taxpayers money and the taxpayers are both males and females
Mr Nazeer: You do not know enough about the AMU central Library and the AMU womens college library. Recently AMU VC gave a grant of Rs 11 lakh to improve that library. Potgraduate girl students at AMU have always been allowed to use the central Library. As the VC said the intense overcrowding in the central library does not allow letting in more students there. AMU alumni and community should condemn ministers Smriti Irani and Najma Heptullah for interfering with the management of AMU and its libraries. Please do not support BJP people in their effort to degrade AMU.
Dear Kaleem,
This nazeer(hypocrite) is none other than a khakhi chaddi hiding behind a muslim name, take out all his messages and see, he is here to criticize muslim and islam by using fake name.
Finally, it is better for BJP and RSS to look into their back yard before object on AMU.
Is RSS having women wing ? Indias oldest organisation does not produce a single women president ? we all know about women bill, how it fails to bring in parliament ? RSS & BJP they will jump when issues related to Muslim and Islam but looks silent when its come to them as if this organisation does not exist.
Zameer@ Hari Chaddi
I don’t need your certificate of being a muslim. My views are different from people liike you who are typical gosht eating ghettoized muslim. Nevertheless, I will keep expressing my Islamic views as both Islam and muslims are going to be benefited by it. Muslims need to come in the mainstream and these type of statements by responsible officials will only thwart the process.
I am not a member of RSS organisation to issue a certificate who is nationalist, who is patriot and who has to come in the mainstream ? that is their job despite they don’t know the right meaning about that. You will benefit for islam and muslim from your views – lol. go and have your face wash first. People like you are hypocrite nothing else
Mr. Kaleem Kwhaja,
I have been a student of AMU and have stayed there completing my graduation and PG. I know well what the VC means by saying what he has said. Regressive thoughts must be condemned, be that of a VC or a clergy. There’s no politics in it. Smriti Irani is the Education minister and must speak against the irresponsible statement. Don’t make it BJP and Congress.
The university administration should be extra cautious in making public statements. They have to realize that they are ambassadors of this university and their statements would be scanned and meanings attributed in every undesirable/possible way. It would be a wise idea if administration officials are given media training or a certain certification in public relation/public speaking before they start representing AMU.
The number of male students must be cut down and apart from the exclusive Women’s College for pardanashin women, there must be seats in the undergraduate courses for women as in Jamia Millia Islamia. Too many of the male students admitted toAMU do not deserve to be there,and would be better off larning a trade requiring manual skills.
Reserve some section for the girls in the library, that’s the best solution.
Its an attempt to degrade one of the best universities in Asia & certainly no 1 Muslim university. Mr VC very categorically specified girls from women’s college not girls in general. They already have a chunk of post graduate women & men enrolled & who has unobjectionable access to library
Women’s college has 4000 girls now how to accommodate. If Mrs irani is so concerned let her provide a grant of Rs. 450 cr for its up gradation & to accommodate additional 4000! students. AMU has the most no of women graduate than any univ. Its just yet another attempt to subvert & snatch its minority status by t saffron brigade & y Mrs irani is silent on t plight of vrindavan widows she recently met anti national RSS leaders to saffronize education system