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All Life is an Experiment. The more you make the better it becomes.................... Ralph Waldo Emerson



Saturday, June 5, 2010

Ab Tak 148: AMU V-C on suspension spree: Times Of India

http://timesofindia .indiatimes. com/city/ lucknow/Ab- Tak-148-AMU- V-C-on-suspensio n-spree/articles how/6016204. cms


LUCKNOW: After installation of the 57 CCTV cameras, night vision devices and other high-tech gadgetry worth Rs 10 crore to keep a 24x7 vigil on the campus, the vice-chancellor office seems to have imposed an official gag order in Aligarh Muslim University. This week saw yet another student Mohammad Adil Hussain served with suspension order for raising a voice against the autocratic functioning of university authorities.

Adil, incidentally, becomes the 148th student to have earned the wrath of V-C Professor PK Abdul Azis. Prof Ajis holds a record of sorts for having ordered such a large number of suspensions over the past three years of his tenure, says Shazad Alam, a student and RTI activist. With students getting more and more vocal and paranoid about the official surveillance, the number is likely to rise in coming days.

The terse memo signed by proctor Mohammd Zubair Khan on June 3 accuses Adil of "indulging in rumour-mongering, canard-spreading and defaming the AMU and also "depicting the entire institutional infrastructure and administrative apparatus in poor light". The post-graduate student of mass communication stands guilty of "resorting to and misusing the internet to tarnish AMUs image." The proctor specifically mention `Adil"s misinformation campaign against the CCTV cameras' and the hints that the maintenance money was being usurped by authorities.

"This is nightmarish ... they are trying to hit out at the freedom of expression," Adil told TOI on phone. "I fell out of favour for speaking my mind off particularly on Siras controversy (the gay professor who was caught on camera having sex with his partner and suspended. He later committed suicide) and then on CCTV," he said, adding "I was the fist student to have criticised the university stance on Dr Siras and berated the security system forced on us." Though disturbed, the young man stands by his convictions.

Out of 30,000 students, not even 30 favour camera on campus, says Afaq Ahmad, an M Phil student who has been under suspension since April 22 for voicing his concern at the draconian measure. "One never thought things would come to such a pass in AMU," he said.

The issue is expected to figure prominently in the meeting convened by the AMU Old Boys Association and AMU Old Girls Association on June 19. Meanwhile, charging Azis with unleashing a rein of terror on the campus, a delegation of AMU court is slated to meet President Pratibha Patil this month, Wasim Ahamd, former MP Aligarh and member of university court told TOI on Saturday. "Students are no terrorist and each of them is feeling oppressed, thanks to the security circus," he said.

"Apart from being highly objectionable, AMU becomes the first university to put its student under watch. The security paraphernalia also points to the extent of financial irregularities the university administration is involved in," he said, adding "the V-C has cleverly skirted executive council in the matter and went ahead with purchases."

AMU PRO Dr Rahat Abrar however challenges the contention and claims that the executive council not only sanctioned the security devices but even suggested deployment of CISF on the campus."The arrangement aims at deterring trespassers and criminals from invading AMU and is vital for ensuring security and safety of all -- even those who are needlessly opposing it," he said.

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