Protesters claim police mistreatment and authoritarianism, demanding immediate withdrawal of fee increase and resignation of the proctor
ALIGARH – A wave of anger is sweeping through the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) campus as students, joined by Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) workers, continue their protest against what they describe as an unfair and excessive hike in fees. The demonstration, now in its tenth day at the iconic Bab-e-Syed Gate, has been marked by slogans, sit-ins, and allegations of police high-handedness.
On Tuesday, outside the District Collectorate, Congress and SP workers burnt an effigy of AMU’s Vice Chancellor, accusing her of working against the interests of poor Muslim students. They submitted a memorandum to the district magistrate, giving the administration until 15 August to roll back the fee increase and dismiss the proctoring team.
Youth Congress state secretary Raja Bhaiya condemned the decision, claiming the university had raised fees by “40 to 60 per cent” despite being a central institution originally established to serve the children of underprivileged families. “Aligarh Muslim University was created for the education of poor children. How will the child of the poor be able to study after the fee increase?” he asked.
Raja Bhaiya accused the Vice Chancellor of “running a dictatorship” and “misusing her powers” by raising fees without any order from the central or state government. He also alleged that the administration had responded to peaceful protests with force. “Cases are being registered against the students. Those who were sitting in protest were also lathicharged,” he said.
The Youth Congress leader stressed that the demands were simple – reverse the fee hike immediately and remove the proctoring team. “If our demands are not met by the 15th, we will stage a protest in front of the university’s administrative block,” he warned.
SP Chhatra Sabha Metropolitan President Mohsin echoed these concerns, alleging that the Vice Chancellor’s “mentality is BJP” and that she was appointed “through BJP influence.” Mohsin said, “She has increased the students’ fees by 40 to 61 per cent, so we demand that this order be withdrawn.”
The protests have also drawn attention to the treatment of students on campus. Several students claimed that the police and university authorities have tried to intimidate them into abandoning the movement. For many of the demonstrators, the issue is not only about money but also about preserving the institution’s historic role as a place where Muslims, especially those from low-income backgrounds, could gain higher education.
AMU spokesperson Prof Vibha Sharma defended the decision, stating that the fee increase was made “after many years” and amounted to “15 to 20 per cent” in most cases. She added that the administration was still holding meetings to “consider what else can be done in the interest of the students.”
But on the ground, protesters say their fight is about much more than percentages. It is about whether a poor student from a Muslim family in rural India will still have a place at AMU in the years to come. As one student protester said while holding a placard near Bab-e-Syed Gate, “This is our university, built for us, and we will not let anyone take it away from the poor.”
