Aligarh Muslim University remained tense on Saturday after a student filed a police complaint alleging heckling by fellow students over Holi celebrations.
The Uttar Pradesh police have registered an FIR against 10 students under Sections 147, 148, 149, 153A, 386, 323, and 504 of the Indian Penal Code for rioting, promoting enmity between different groups, and intentional insult with the intention to provoke.
The action was taken based on the complaint by Aditya Pratap Singh, a student of the Faculty of Social Sciences, who alleged that he and a few other students were heckled and chased by “radicalised elements” on Thursday when they were preparing to celebrate Holi. He said foul language was used against Hindu gods and goddesses by students carrying arms.
Sources said Holi is celebrated every year in front of AMU’s Zakir Hussain College of Engineering and Technology, but this year a poster was circulated that ‘Rangotsav 24’ will be celebrated at the “engineering college/athletics ground”.
Mr. Singh said such posters are circulated every year, but this time they went viral. “I approached the Proctor’s office after I came to know that in response to the poster, WhatsApp messages were being shared that if the event was allowed to take place, in future pujas would start taking place on campus.”
‘No untoward incident’
Proctor Wasim Ahmad told The Hindu that Mr. Singh had shared a poster on WhatsApp groups that Holi would be celebrated on the athletics ground. “It created a perception in a section of students that a particular space is being institutionalised on campus for the festival. The agitated students protested and heckled some students. The university administration and the police reached the spot within minutes and prevented any untoward incident.”
Mr. Ahmed said the area was under CCTV surveillance and the footage was shared with the police. After the police promised a fair probe, the students returned to their classes.
The Proctor said Mr. Singh had approached him for permission but was advised in the presence of the Circle Officer that Holi is celebrated on the campus every year but no specific place has been allotted for it. “The police official also advised him not to start a new practice, but Mr. Singh left the meeting and reached the spot where the students had assembled,” Mr. Ahmad said.
Misbah Kaisar, a student of engineering who has been named in the FIR, said he has been falsely charged in the case and that the CCTV footage would reveal the truth.
University spokesperson Professor Asim Siddiqui said there was absolutely no restriction on celebrating Holi on the campus. “Students have been celebrating Holi in their hostels and their rooms year after year. Today, classes and exams were conducted as per schedule,” he said.
