Christians Under Attack

The university has been in the news for all the wrong reasons including forcing a student give up wearing western clothes and wear traditional clothes with a ‘dupatta’ and the death of a homosexual professor.

 

The death of professor Srinivas Ramachandra along with another incident where an M.Phil student, Afaq Ahmad, allegedly sent a threat letter to the Vice Chancellor P.K. Abdul Aziz, indicate the involvement of the so-called “Intelligence Wing” of the university. 

 

Professor Ramachandra was caught on camera at his campus residence, indulging in sexual acts with a rickshaw puller. The professor was suspended on account of his act and taken back later. The professor, however, was found dead later at his residence. The entire incident is being linked to the LIU as three people who posed as journalists went to his house and installed cameras in his house and one of them happened to belong to this LIU.

 

The other incident about M.Phil student, Afaq Ahmad where he was suspended on grounds of having sent a threat letter to the Vice Chancellor P.K. Abdul Aziz indicates the involvement of the LIU. Ahmad claimed that LIU members and his hostel officials forged his signature on the letter sent to the vice chancellor.

 

Traiqul Islam, a reader in the department of philosophy said, “ I don't understand the logic behind maintaining such an intelligence agency in an educational institute. No institution except the government has the right to spy on others." He also mentioned the lack of trust among the members of the university due to which the university is run in a disorganised manner.

 

Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal has clearly stated that, "The vice chancellor is authorised to form any committee or agency to maintain law and order in the university. If there is a misuse of that agency then he will be responsible for any mishap."

 

A teacher in the department of wildlife sciences who did not wish to reveal her identity has said, "There indeed exists such an intelligence unit where students as well as others are employed to snoop on students and teachers. Different proctorial regimes have extended many doles and favours to those spying for the authorities."

 

AMU proctor Zubair Khan however spoke up in defence. He said, "We have a watchdog kind of agency whose main work is to keep an eye on outsiders and anti-social elements who seek to create disturbances in the campus." He dismissed the employment of students for spying purposes.

 

It would be interesting to note that Mohammed Chaman, a university employee, had filed the RTI in November 2009. In reply to a Right to Information (RTI) query,the university administration has admitted the existence of LIU, which aims to collect information and helps take preventive measures in maintaining law and order on the campus. The RTI also states that "the UGC (University Grant Commission) and the human resource development (HRD) ministry have not been informed by the proctor's office about the existence of the LIU".

 

Another student Adil Hossain said, "The name of a spy agency itself creates a feeling of insecurity. And the existence of a spy unit in an educational institution creates a fear psychosis in the minds of students. Students are being implicated and suspended on the basis of false reports filed by LIU."