LUCKNOW: Following the proposed demolition action over 38 of the 40 buildings associated with Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur, students took to the streets on Saturday.
Notably, the university was built by SP stalwart and former lawmaker Azam Khan, who, along with his son Abdullah Azam, is in jail following his conviction in a couple of cases of fraud and forgery. The operations of the university are supervised by the Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, with Azam Khan as its chairman.
The protesters were demanding that the state government revoke the demolition orders, claiming that the action would put the future of thousands of students pursuing various courses at the university at stake.
The protesting students said they received heavy fee concessions at the institution, which were not available elsewhere.
The Rampur Development Authority (RDA), which issued the notice on Wednesday, claimed the 38 buildings were constructed illegally without taking any permission from the authorities concerned.
In the notice served on the university administration, 15 days were given to remove the "unauthorised" structures, failing which the administration would proceed with the demolition.
The order was passed by RDA Vice-Chairperson and Rampur District Magistrate Ajay Kumar Dwivedi under Section 27 of the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973.
Dwivedi said the order was passed after a detailed hearing, examination of records, and a review of legal provisions.
It may be recalled that the university was conceptualised and built during the Samajwadi Party rule when Azam Khan was the Urban Development Minister in Akhilesh Yadav's cabinet.
Reacting to the demolition order, the Samajwadi Party termed the move "unjustified", alleging that the university was being selectively targeted.
According to senior SP leaders, the university is an educational institution where a large number of students are enrolled in various courses. Such an action would ruin the future of the students just for the sake of vendetta politics being followed by the state government, a senior SP leader said.
