Amidst the row over the presence of Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s portrait in the student’s union office of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), the national head of All-India Muslim Mahasangh on Friday announced a reward of Rs 1 Lakh for destroying Jinnah’s posters.
#WATCH: Farhat Ali Khan, National Head of All-India Muslim Mahasangh says, ‘I appeal everyone to tear & burn down posters of Jinnah & people like him. I announce a reward of Rs 1 Lakh for the one who burns down the poster.’ (04.05.2018) pic.twitter.com/HLUcJBhw4R
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 4, 2018
Blaming Jinnah for having broken the country at the time of partition, Farhat Ali Khan, the national head of All-India Muslim Mahasangh announced that the reward would be given to anyone who burns Jinnah’s photo which created ruckus at AMU earlier this week. Speaking to ANI, Khan said that Pakistan has not put up any photos of Mahatma Gandhi who played the most significant role in the freedom struggle of the country, so there was no valid reason for us to put up photos of Jinnah. He said that in the neighbouring country, all the Muslims who chose to move post-Partition were considered muhajirs. He said Pakistan hated India and India’s Muslims and the Muslims here felt the same way for the neighbouring nation. So there was no reason for photos of leaders like Jinnah anywhere in the country.
The controversy erupted when reports emerged that a portrait of Jinnah had been displayed on the walls of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) student union office. Aligarh MP and BJP leader Satish Gautam last Monday wrote to Vice Chancellor Tariq Mansoor objecting to Pakistan founder’s picture on the walls of the AMUSU office. Defending the portrait, apparently hanging there for decades, AMU spokesman Shafey Kidwai had, a day later, said that Jinnah was a founder member of the University Court and granted life membership of the student union.
The matter soon escalated as protests took place outside the university campus, followed by clashes between AMU students and the police. Rapid Action Force of the Uttar Pradesh Police was deployed. The row started when some activists demanded the removal of Jinnah’s photo, to which the students objected. Later in the evening, hundreds of students tried to march to the local police station, where the activists had been confined. Unable to control them, the RAF men used force, sources said.
Section 144 of the CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) was imposed in Aligarh and internet services were suspended to prevent the communal flare-up. The internet services in Aligarh will remain suspended till 12:00 am, 6th May 2018.
It is rather lamentable that these groups creating a ruckus over Jinnah’s photo, are a part of India. India, whose constitution has been built on the idea that rejected this very philosophy of Jinnah. Jinnah believed in the two-nation theory and Indian’s rejected his divisive ideology.
