Amid demand to celebrate Holi in the Aligarh Muslim University campus, the AMU administration has decided that students can play Holi independently in the ‘Non Resident Students Center’ (NRSC) hall. A university official gave this information.
In -charge of AMU’s ‘Non Resident Students Center’, Professor Brij Bhushan Singh told reporters on Friday night, “The university administration has decided that any student of AMU can play Holi with Rang and Gulal in NRSC hall on March 13 and 14.” He said that there is an AMU board examination on March 9.
Singh said, “Therefore, I think it would not be appropriate if a student comes here and plays Holi. March 10, March 11 and March 12 is working day and there will be classes for students, so it will not be appropriate to play Holi on working day. Holi can be played on March 13 and March 14.
According to the AMU website, NRSC is a center for non-resident students who are studying from graduation to PhD in the university.
In fact, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Aligarh, Satish Gautam, further extended the controversy to celebrate Holi at Aligarh Muslim University on Friday, saying “no one can stop anyone from celebrating Holi in the AMU campus”.
Gautam gave his support to Hindu students and said, “If a Hindu student has any problem in celebrating Holi inside the campus, I am ready to help him.”
The dispute began when members of right -wing Hindu groups accused the AMU administration of not allowing Hindu students not to organize ‘Holi Milan’ function in the campus.
Gautam said, “No permission is required to play Holi at any place.”
At the same time, local Congress leader and former Aligarh MLA Vivek Bansal accused the BJP of deliberately raising controversy over the celebration of Holi in AMU for political gains and called it “unfortunate”.
AMU alumni Bansal shared his personal experience saying, “We always used to celebrate Holi with friends in AMU and I never remember any bitterness or opposition from anyone on this issue. Then why is the BJP doing inflammatory politics and trying to disturb peace?”
He urged the BJP to avoid increasing tension.
