Aligarh Muslim University Students' Union put out a statement and said that they were shocked to "read the reports about Tariq Mansoor, Vice Chancellor AMU, whose resignation has been demanded by the students for his role in permitting state aggression against students, has expressed fears for his life and the life of his family members". Reports said that the AMU VC has written to police and state administration seeking protection.
AMU Students’ Union President M Salman Imtiaz, said that the students find this claim ridiculous. "The VC has no threat from AMU students. Students have been peacefully protesting against CAA-NRC since December 8, 2019, and will continue peaceful protests. It is sad that the government gave effect to CAA despite massive resentment from the people of India. AMU Students Union has written to Chief Justice of India to declare CAA unconstitutional and illegal," said Salman.
Students have held dozens of rallies, lecture sessions and talks, condemning the law and demanding its roll back. But they said all of it was non-violent. "Violence has been committed by the state in cohort with AMU administration and we have filed petitions against this state terror in the Court of Law. The National Human Rights Commission is probing the matter and is visiting AMU on January 15 and 16 to collect evidence from the students of AMU. We have written to members to AMU Court, alumni of AMU and concerned citizens demanding immediate resignation of AMU administrators so that state aggression is not normalised in a university of international repute," read the statement.
Now, as the campus is opening after a month long undeclared sine die, the VC, instead of welcoming students is making an environment for further violence against students. "Since AMU Students have been protesting against CAA-NRC-NPR, his statement is an attempt to intimidate students so that democratic voices and dissent is curbed in the campus. Students will not accept this pressure tactic, and will use the legitimate space of dissent in the campus to voice concerns against CAA-NRC-NPR and demand accountability in regards to the December 15 episode. Peaceful resistance within the permitted limits of law will continue at AMU," said Salman. "In absence of students union for the session, Aligarh Muslim University Students’ Union (2018-19) wants the President of India, who is the Visitor to University, and the Members of AMU Court and Alumni to know that any attempt to prevent students of AMU from expressing dissent in the campus will be unconstitutional and must not be allowed to happen, and they must play their role in safeguarding the university space and its students. The sanctity of the campus must be ensured," he added.
Aligarh Muslim University Students’ Union also welcomed the students back to the campus.
