MANUU chancellor denied entry in campus for pro-CAA stance

Hyderabad: The chancellor of Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU), Firoz Bakht Ahmed was denied entry into the campus at around 6.30 pm following students’ protests on January 24. The students of MANUU, who have been protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) since the past two months, were irked by the chancellor’s pro-CAA stance, which ultimately led to denying him entry into the campus.

According to the chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor had asked him not to enter the campus since “it would disturb the calm on the campus and might have to face the wrath of the students as well.” However, the chancellor’s entry into the campus was denied after students knew about this arrival and began protesting.

Around 400 students gathered to prevent the chancellor from entering the MANUU campus. Speaking to NewsMeter, Umer Faruq Quadri, MANUU Students’ Union president said, “We were unaware about the chancellor’s visit initially, but after getting to know that he was coming, we wanted to express our protest with his pro-CAA letter. After the opposition from our side, he had to leave the campus at around 6.55 in the evening today.”

Earlier on December 20, the chancellor had released a statement in favor of CAA and NRC, saying that “CAA and NRC are not against Muslims.” Asking students not to take out protests, he further said in the letter, “Kindly avoid taking to the roads, and strengthen the hands of your Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I vouch for the PM, who is your well-wisher, as his slogan for Muslims has been ‘Ek hath mein Quran, Ek hath mein computer’.”

The MANUU Students’ Union has been demanding a public apology from the chancellor for his remarks, when the students of the university have been in the forefront in their protest against CAA. MANUU Students’ Union president also added, “The chancellor is known for his pro-BJP stance. Even when the Pulwama attack happened, he tried to besmirch the students of MANUU saying that we celebrated the attack, when actually, we were in silent mourning in solidarity with the Pulwama attack victims. It is our fundamental right to protest, and we demand that he withdraw his problematic statement given in the name of our university.”