BJP Minority Morcha president says AMU vice chancellor ‘refused to meet’ to receive the Tiranga

BJP’s minority wing chief Jamal Siddiqui attempted to present the tricolour flag on the Aligarh Muslim University campus as part of PM Modi’s ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign for Independence Day.

Aligarh Muslim University | Representational image | ANI

New Delhi: The BJP Minority Morcha’s national president Jamal Siddiqui, on Sunday, alleged that the vice chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, Tariq Mansoor, “refused to meet” with him to receive the Indian national tricolour flag for hoisting it on the university campus ahead of India’s 75th Independence Day.

“I was trying to present the tricolor on his visit to Aligarh, but he refused to meet me to receive the tricolor,” Siddiqui tweeted, sharing an image of his letter to the vice chancellor. But, Aligarh Muslim University has put in place its own plans for Independence Day celebrations around campus including the hoisting of the tricolour and planting of tree saplings by vice chancellor Mansoor, according to the India Education Diary news portal.

Siddiqui’s attempt forms a part of the “Har Ghar Tiranga” flag initiative and the broader ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ campaign started by the BJP government in the run up to 15 August, marking 75 years of independent India.

As ThePrint had previously reported, the minority morcha, or minority wing of the BJP, has gone further in carrying out its initiative by distributing the tricolour flag to religious leaders, or dharm gurus of several faiths, in order to have the flag hoisted at mosques, temples, mazaars, and gurudwaras.

“We might be Muslims, Hindus, and may celebrate our individual festivals separately, but this is ‘desh ka festival’ (the country’s festival), and everyone needs to celebrate it together to show our unity. I have appealed to all the dharm gurus, too, to celebrate this festival together by hosting it (the flag) at their premises,” Siddiqui had told ThePrint.

Siddiqui had further added that the flags were made by Kashmiri women, while another source had revealed that the Minority Morcha’s objective for Independence Day is to hoist India’s tricolour flag “at 10,000 places across the country”.

When contacted, AMU, however, said that there was some miscommunication due to the ongoing celebrations and events in the university and that the vice chancellor had sent an email to Jamal Siddiqui and he was always welcome at AMU.

“The vice chancellor is available in his office and has himself sent an email to the gentleman and he is always welcome. We are celebrating the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’. All educationists and stakeholders are always welcome to join hands and be pillars to the roof of celebrating the ‘Azaadi ka Amrut Mahotsav’. The ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign and other week-long functions are going on as per the directives of the government and the VC himself is spearheading the celebrations,” AMU public relations officer Omar Peerzada told ThePrint.

The AMU witnessed the inauguration of the Fit India Freedom: Mini Marathon as part of its observance of the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ to celebrate 75 years of India’s Independence.

This report has been updated with the statement from Aligarh Muslim University.

(Edited by Siddarth Muralidharan)