A group of students, on Friday, expressed discontent over case registered against 10 fellow students following the brawl over celebrations of Holi festival on campus of Aligarh Muslim University on Thursday.
The students termed it a one-sided action by Aligarh police and raised slogans. On its part, the university administration was found busy pacifying the students objecting to FIR registered against fellow students.
Later in the day, half a dozen students along with AMU proctor Prof Mohd Wasim Ali, met the police authorities seeking fair investigation into matter.
“There had been protests by students opposing the FIR registered against 10 students of AMU. These protesting students gathered and closed Bab-e-Syed gate on Thursday night and again raised slogans on Friday but were pacified,” said the proctor.
“A group of students today met SSP Aligarh and demanded fair investigation into the matter,” he added.
Two groups of students entered into a brawl over celebration of Holi festival on campus of Aligarh Muslim University on Thursday afternoon. Ten students opposing the celebrations were booked at Civil Lines police station of Aligarh. Police claimed that none were injured and the situation was brought under control.
Proctor clarified that there was no ban on Holi celebrations and since the existence of AMU, the students of all faiths celebrate festivals according to their wish. He, however, stated that permission was sought for organising Holi festival at particular place on the campus.
{{/usCountry}}Proctor clarified that there was no ban on Holi celebrations and since the existence of AMU, the students of all faiths celebrate festivals according to their wish. He, however, stated that permission was sought for organising Holi festival at particular place on the campus.
{{/usCountry}}“There is no ban on any festival and Holi is no exception. Students have been celebrating festivals including Holi since the existence of the university. However, a student leader was seeking permission to celebrate Holi at a specific location on Athletic ground opposite the Engineering college on university campus,” he said.
“The circle officer was at the university on Thursday and we were discussing the issue of granting permission because allowing festival at specific location would have led to establishing a new tradition which is also not permitted by the government on festival. During the discussion, reports came of brawl between student groups near Engineering colleges. We rushed to the spot and students having brawl were dispersed and pacified,” said the proctor.
“Ten students opposing the celebration of Holi have been booked in crime case number 124/2024 registered under section 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with armed weapons), 149 (unlawful assembly with common object), 153A (causing enmity between groups on basis of religion), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (insult to provoke) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code,” stated Ravindra Singh, the officiating in-charge at Civil Lines police station of Aligarh.
“No arrests are being made and the matter is being investigated. There were no major injuries sustained and police reached the spot,”stated incharge Civil Lines police station of Aligarh.
After the brawl on Thursday, BJP leaders came in support of students who were celebrating Holi and alleged that they were targeted on communal lines and even girl students were not spared by those opposing the celebrations.