AMU teachers condemn Nupur, Jindal remarks

The teachers of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) have condemned the remarks of former Bharatiya Janata Party office-bearers, Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal, and have decided to hold a candlelight vigil on the campus on Wednesday.

In a meeting held on Monday evening at the University Teachers’ Staff Club, the serving and retired teachers condemned “the outrageous and blasphemous” remarks made by Ms. Sharma and Mr. Jindal against Prophet Muhammad.

It was resolved that a memorandum addressed to the President shall be presented to the district administration, demanding immediate action as per the law against the two office-bearers of the BJP.

The unsigned resolution further called upon the alumni and old boys associations all over the world to submit memoranda to the Government of India through respective embassies and high commissions demanding immediate actions as per the law.

The meeting also demanded that the BJP chief tender an unconditional apology for the outrageous act by the two members of the party.

Professor Hamid Ali, ex-president, AMU Teachers’ Association who chaired the meeting, said students had been kept out of the protest because of the sensitive nature of the issue. He said after the teachers were called by a senior police officer to apprise them of the administration’s point of view, it was decided to keep the programme short and in a limited space.

“We have written to the District Magistrate to send a representative to receive the memorandum,” he said.