Letter war between AMU VC and BJP MP over minority status case

Aligarh: MP Satish Gautam of the BJP wrote a letter to Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) vice-chancellor Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah charging him with “issuing inflammatory statements” over its minority status “to create disturbances in the University”, Shah wrote back to the MP not to question his secular credentials.

On July 13, Gautam had written a letter to Shah accusing him of trying to instigate students by issuing a statement in which he said that he feared “trouble” if AMU is denied its minority tag.

Gautam said the statement was “inflammatory”, it might create disturbances on campus. The MP also asked Shah to refrain from making such statements.

“It appears that you do not believe in the constitutional framework of India or a judicial verdict by the Supreme Court,” the MP wrote.

Shah said that the MP’s allegations were incorrect. “I have complete faith in the judiciary and the fairness and sagacity of our PM Narendra Modi,” he wrote, expressing disappointment that Gautam chose to release the letter to the press without carrying his refutation or clarification.

The letter added. “Despite the ongoing agitation in several universities, there had been no lawlessness in AMU. I however felt that in case of an adverse judgment on the ‘minority character’ case, there might be a student agitation as these students were emotionally involved. I am not projecting a fundamentalist image. I uphold the secular values of AMU and I myself have imbibed modern values in my upbringing and 40 years in the Army. We should not do anything to spoil the peace and tranquility of our city.”

Shah said if the MP had certain doubts about his statement, he should have raised the matter directly with him instead of writing a letter and making it public even before it was received by him.