Mehwish Asim
We still have the memories of the terrifying night of December 15, when our university was under siege for a whole night. Internet suspended, all exited sealed by forces, ambulances blocked… We had nobody but us to hold on to each other and resist. if not for the locals from neighboring streets, our story would have been different. Betrayed and abandoned, Aligarh students are fighting unparalleled odds to prevent Genocide.
Since Yogi Adithyanath took office as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, the largest state in India, it has become the lab of inhumane experiments of Ultra right-wing politics. Civil liberties minorities, especially Muslims are endangered to the grave. With all rule of laws distorted and blatantly broke by the state machinery, the Muslims are looted, burned, shot and butchered, all adding to believe that a genocidal project to exterminate Muslims has already begun.
Aligarh Muslim University in West UP is one of the most vocal oppositions and standing resistance against the prolonged dream of Hindutva ideology to erase Muslims.
The night of December 15 evidently shows how the university administration has failed in its duty to protect the campus and its residents. Since then till now deployment of the police force has been increasing day by day, vans of the provencal armed constabulary are always present on the university gate. Higher authorities of this campus seem least bothered about the ongoing situation and their responsibilities. The university administrative act more of a state person rather than the custodian of students.
When democratic space provided by constitution to impart skills and improve efficiency of students is used as a front or excuse to enroot hate and agitation in the peaceful and motivating environment of an educational institution by recruiting armed forces and using them against fearless but unarmed students at the same time it becomes a criminal act and must be prevented by state. It is becoming a hurdle in the studies of aspiring students and source of demotivation for enthusiastic and passionate scholars. After all this mishappening inside the campus of a reputed educational institution, the university administration had the audacity to defend their act of timidity by calling it the initiative was taken for the safety of students.
Coming forward to the supreme court’s judgment regarding internet access, the judgment which has passed by SC access to the internet is now constituent of the fundamental right to life. Judgment carries a very valuable concept i.e. liberty, the importance of gathering information, getting updated of the world and how in today’s era internet is such a crucial source of getting information. Can you imagine in today’s world of advancement and everything available online what a person becomes when banned from using the internet?
Yes, the condition of students of Aligarh Muslim University along with the residents of Aligarh city when recently internet was again cut off for six days ( from the night of 23 February till 29 February). Internet shutdown has become their most powerful weapon to be used against students since students can not remain in contact with each other conveniently. During the shut down the students were unaware of the violence that took place inside Aligarh city itself and NE Delhi. Moreover, FIR’s are constant torment, there is a threat to the carrier of students and their future is at stake. Approx 200 FIR’s were filed against students that have now raised to 4000.
Mehwish Asim is a student of BA URDU Hons at Aligarh Muslim University.
