BJP's youth-wing demands land to construct temple on AMU campus
Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), BJP's youth wing, has demanded land to construct a temple on the AMU campus, saying Hindu students were facing problems in performing prayers. In a letter to AMU Vice Chancellor Tariq Mansoor, Mukesh Singh Lodhi, the district president of BJYM, said if the university doesn't fulfill their demand within 15 days, they would start the construction by themselves.
Lodhi said that if their demand doesn't get fulfilled, they would install an idol and begin constructing the temple at a suitable site. Reacting to the letter, leaders of AMU Students' Union (AMUSU) said the BJP youth wing leader's threat was an attempt to disturb peace in the city and polarize voters in the run-up to the general elections.
Former AMUSU president Faizul Hasan said, "This isn't a question of religious piety because there are a number of temples in the vicinity and there has never been any such issue since the university was established." "We fully respect the religious sentiments of all students and are always sensitive to their genuine demands," said Hasan. He called the demand an attempt to malign secular-traditions.
"However, anybody who has been following AMU affairs for four years will confirm that this threat is yet another attempt to malign our secular traditions merely for spreading ill will and strengthening divisive forces," Hasan alleged. Two days ago, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had targeted the AMU authorities, accusing them of not providing Dalit quota for admission to the university.
