The university, however, said the portrait has been up for several decades as Jinnah was a donor, a founder member of the University Court and had been granted life membership of the student union.

The matter kicked up a storm as members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad had barged into the AMU campus to demand the portrait’s removal. They also tried to burn an effigy of Jinnah after which a scuffle ensued between ABVP leaders and AMU students.