rakhio ghalib mujhe is talkh nawai se muaaf
Aaj kuchh dard mere dil mein siwa hota hai
By H.A.S. Jafri
Having been associated with AMU, a nerve center of Muslims all over the world, for more than forty five years I most regularly follow the news and views about the Institution on various networks. I have, however, refrained from active participation for reasons more than one. For one who has been associated with the University administration in any capacity at any given time, with his intervention the debate becomes personal and the main issues are lost. For people who are hurt or aggrieved for some reason or for no reason such intervention provides an opportunity to come out with their pent up anger.
Aligarh Muslim University
We the Muslims of India particularly those associated with AMU are in effect innocent, get resentful or joyous over small things. Those who are outside and well settled in life in most of the cases they are sincere. But for people within or around the Campus the less said the better. Tears have rolled down my eyes on several occasions to find that for smallest things or favors people who have gained everything from this Institution and whose generations are still getting benefited can not only ignore the Institutional interest, can ignite fire or harm the Institution for their smallest gains. Just a peep in the past may help us understand the present better.
1965 is considered responsible for most if not all the present ailments of Aligarh Muslim University. Not delving into the history I would, however, submit that 1965 was only an aberration and the most crucial year in the history of Aligarh Muslim University has been 1947.
With the partition of the country the elite class amongst Muslims migrated to the other side and this had wide ranging and everlasting effect on Aligarh Muslim University in ways more than one. The vacuum created at the academic level had to be filled in with due care that Aligarh may not lose its identity and the purpose for which the University had come into existence. The result was that the second rate amongst Muslim intelligentsia came to occupy the top positions. And by the very logic if some second rate person is at the top he would not get first rate persons who may over shadow him down the line. And so set in the traditions of politicking favoritism nepotism and sycophancy. The brilliant down the line got frustrated and left the place giving in way to unemployed less qualified persons sitting on the fence. And the tradition continued uninterrupted till a bureaucrat Vice Chancellor who by training was in favor of continuity and opposed to the demand of rotation of Headship initially brought in rotation of headship amongst the teaching Departments. This did have some effect but by this time the malice had been so deep rooted that it was not possible to get out of the traditions of favoritism, nepotism and sycophancy. It can only be hoped that the new generation may not tolerate it for long.
In addition to affecting the recruitment policy the partition had another very serious effect on the life at Aligarh Muslim University at the social and cultural level. The elite amongst the teachers and students who left the country were mostly from highly cultured and sophisticated class. The gaps were filled in by the people from the less developed and also rural areas some of them lacking family traditions and sophistication. They did try to absorb themselves in the new environs and continued with the tradition of three piece suit or Sherwani. Beneath of the meticulous dress could not, however, be changed. And so started the tradition of ragging in place of dignified Introduction and many other connected evils.
As far as the functioning in the University is concerned it has been observed over the years that all Vice Chancellors have come with good and noble intentions with ideas and plans to improve the functioning of this nerve center of Muslims of India. Who would not wish that out of more than three hundred odd universities leaving aside Jamia Millia Islamia which was conferred the status of Central University much later and Jamia Hamdard which is still a Deemed University, Aligarh Muslim University, though not constitutionally, are meant to provide education to the educationally backward and beleaguered community of Muslims in India emerges as a Center of Excellence not only to help out the Muslims but to project as Nation’s Pride throughout the world. The hundred million dollar question remains if the ‘inhabitants’ of the land who do not feel tired saying the same hundred times allow that to happen.
And we shall revert back here to the first paragraph of this long note that for our smallest gains not only that we would not bother about the Institutional interests we would not hesitate to ignite fire, all our lip service notwithstanding. And it is the students’ not only here but everywhere in all educational institution who are used to foment trouble be it 1965 or 2013. Average student is career conscious and does not easily fall prey and criminals are easily identifiable particularly if left alone and so the search goes on for a group not much interested in studies and have career prospects only in politics. That is why when there is no organized student group, the mentors feel restless. The trend is unending and we can only pray for the Institution to be saved of its well-wishers. The demand for Students Union is raised in the name of democratic functioning and as a forum to protect and project student interests. A poser here may not be out of place. Has anyone ever seen a Student Union leader dying or even getting injured in police firing necessitated by student agitation? It is always the innocent who out of curiosity come out or happen to pass through that route.
The note has become very lengthy but there is lot more to write. It shall, however, be better if many things are left unwritten. Apologies in the end if this note has hurt someone even inadvertently.
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H.A.S. Jafri is Retd. Professor of Political Science, AMU, Aligarh. This article first appeared at mailing list AMUNetwork