NEW DELHI/ALIGARH — A peaceful student protest at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) against a sudden and steep hike in fees has snowballed into a national controversy, with protesters facing accusations of being “anti-national” and linked to threats against national security. Students and faculty members say the smear campaign is a deliberate attempt to shift attention from the real issue, making higher education unaffordable for many Muslims, towards unproven allegations that harm the reputation of one of India’s most prestigious minority institutions.
The university, founded in 1875 by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, has long been a symbol of Muslim educational empowerment in India. For generations, AMU has produced judges, scholars, scientists, journalists, and political leaders. Its alumni have contributed significantly to India’s development. But it has also often been the target of political suspicion and stereotyping.
The latest controversy, sparked by a fee hike of 30 to 40 per cent across most courses, has reignited old tensions. Students, already struggling with rising costs, have been protesting for days, holding sit-ins, organising marches, and appealing to the administration to reverse the decision. Yet, instead of engaging with their demands, parts of the media and certain political voices are accusing them of being unpatriotic.
Several short videos have been circulating on social media platforms claiming to show “anti-national” slogans at the protest. One widely shared clip claims that an “AMU alumnus” made derogatory comments about the Indian Tricolour. However, no verified evidence has been presented to prove his connection with the university.
“It is very convenient for them to throw such labels at us,” said Mohammad Asif, a postgraduate student of Political Science. “If you call a Muslim protester anti-national, you don’t have to address his demands. You can just criminalise his voice.”
The students have repeatedly clarified that no anti-India slogans have been raised during the protests. Most slogans, they say, have been about reversing the fee hike, protecting the right to affordable education, and upholding the vision of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.
“We are not here to insult the country. This is our country,” said Rehan Khan, an undergraduate law student. “We are here because we believe education should not be priced beyond the reach of the poor. That is not anti-national, that is pro-India.”
University sources have admitted that some outsiders have been present during the protests, and this has raised concerns that the movement could be deliberately infiltrated to provoke incidents.
This story was originally published in clarionindia.net. Read the full story here.
