Human Rights Violation by Aligarh Muslim University

The Grave Discrimination Girls

Maulana Azad Library at Aligarh Muslim University.

The decision of the Aligarh Muslim University is rightfully being criticized on the grounds of human rights violation. According to Zamirudeen Shah, the retired Lieutenant General and the Vice Chancellor of the University, the libraries would remain packed with boys, if the girl students are given the membership of the library. Thus he denied the library membership to the girl students and refused to lift the ban on female membership. This arbitrary and whimsical decision of the Vice- Chancellor reminds of dark medieval age when there was several types of restrictions on women especially girls.

Here it is noteworthy that the fair sex is not allowed to become the member of the Maulana Azad library in the University.

Recently addressing the gathering of the students the Vice- Chancellor contended that the matter is related more to the limited space in the library which always remains full with boys and there is not enough room to accommodate the girls.

Instead of disciplining the boys and girls, the Vice- Chancellor held the girls responsible for indiscipline and termed them an object of distraction.

Even the Principal of the Girls College of the Aligarh Muslim University supported the Vice- Chancellor be saying that the library remains occupied with bots and the the law and order problem will arise if the girls are allowed to enter the library.  She might be hinting at the security problem, which according to them has a funny solution like the slogans on railway station which read, “Beware of pick pockets”, “The passenger is responsible for his luggage” etc., and we are not responsible for your money or luggage.

So it is evident that the administration of Aligarh Muslim University is running away from its responsibility to provide safe academic atmosphere to the students, especially the girls. It is a sheer example of discrimination of gender basis and is against the Fundamental Law of Equality.

The heat generated by the reckless statement of the Vice- Chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University, forced the Union Human Resource Minister to seek the report of the entire matter. The Ministry has told the vice- Chancellor that it is the violation of human rights to keep the girls away from the library.

The Aligarh Muslim University is one of the best Universities in India, but the present controversy has brought down the name of the University. The Ministery could withhold the grants to the University.

All the graduate students pursuing higher education are free to use the library of of the University,, but about 2500 girls undergoing the graduation courses are deprived of the facility.

The Women College of Aligarh Muslim University was established in 1906 AD, but the said library became functional decades later. The girls were never given the membership of the library, the seating capacity of which is for 1300 students and they should necessarily by boys.


Photo Credit- Wikimedia Commons by Tarique012
Image URL-http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Library_amu.jpg/483px-Library_amu.jpg