New Delhi, July 17 (IANS) The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Friday asked the Uttar Pradesh government and the Rampur Development Authority (RDA) to withdraw demolition notices issued against 38 buildings of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University founded by Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, describing the action as vindictive and unjust.
Condemning the demolition notices issued to the University founded by the jailed leader, the AIMPLB asked the authorities to resolve the legal or technical issues through dialogue and ensure the protection of this important educational institution.
The AIMPLB condemned the demolition notice issued by the RDA for 38 buildings, urging the Uttar Pradesh government to immediately halt the proposed action and withdraw the demolition notice.
Board spokesperson S.Q.R. Ilyas said that this action is not merely directed against an educational institution but also against the educational advancement of the Muslim community.
He added that while governments have failed to adequately address the educational backwardness of Muslims, institutions established through public initiative, sacrifice, and sustained efforts are being targeted on one pretext or another through administrative and legal measures.
The present action reflects political vendetta against Azam Khan, the AIMPLB added.
Ilyas rejected the RDA’s claim that 38 out of the University’s 40 buildings had been constructed without obtaining the necessary approvals.
He said that, according to the University administration, the buildings in question were constructed at a time when the area did not fall within the jurisdiction of the Rampur Development Authority.
Consequently, there was no legal requirement to obtain approval of building plans from the RDA, he added.
He said that even if any technical or legal deficiencies exist, they can be resolved through due legal process.
Ordering the demolition of 38 buildings of a university established after years of hard work, public support, and substantial investment is not only a disproportionate and arbitrary measure but is also contrary to the larger interests of education in the country, Ilyas added.
“Such an action would not merely affect one institution or one community; it would inflict irreparable damage on the nation’s educational assets,” he said.
–IANS
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