21 January 2024
Mateen Ashraf, President of Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) Students’ Union has expressed strong condemnation for the central government’s order mandating half-day closure of public institutions during the Ram Mandir Inauguration Ceremony on January 22. Ashraf asserted that this decision, imposed by the RSS-led BJP government, is a blatant attempt to infiltrate and saffronize public institutions, particularly university spaces.
Ashraf, in a statement, said, “This move not only undermines India’s cherished secular ethos but also poses a significant threat to the democratic and secular principles enshrined in the Indian Constitution. He emphasized how a majoritarian state, supported by the RSS and aspiring to establish a Hindu Rashtra, is gaining control over educational institutions, imposing religious observances and eroding the core principles of the nation.”
Expressing deep concern, Ashraf highlighted the encroachment of Hindutva ideology into university decision-making processes. He stressed that the sanctity of academic institutions lies in fostering autonomy, freedom of thought, tolerance, and a pluralistic approach to education. Any attempt to politicize or align these spaces with Hindutva ideology, he noted, is a direct threat to the essence of the university.
Ashraf urged the university administration to uphold the principles of diversity, inclusivity, and academic freedom integral to MANUU. Additionally, he called on the wider student community, faculty, and concerned citizens to unite against any undue influence compromising the secular fabric of educational institutions.
He concluded by affirming the MANUU Students’ Union’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding democracy, secularism, pluralism, social justice, and intellectual freedom within and beyond the university.
