Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered an address today at the Aligarh Muslim University. Established in 1920, Aligarh Muslim University completes 100 years this year and invited the prime minister as the chief guest on the centennial celebrations. To mark the occasion, PM Modi not only addressed the students, teachers and alumni of AMU but also released a special postal stamp via video conferencing.
The AMU centennial celebrations began with introductory speeches from ANU vice-chancellor Professor Tariq Mansoor, who then invited PM Modi to address the university. Addressing the celebrations via video conferencing, PM Modi said that the history of education attached to AMU buildings is India’s valuable heritage. He often meets the alumni of AMU during his foreign visit and they proudly say that they have studied from AMU.
Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal also marked his presence at the event. Some other dignitaries who addressed the assembly were AMU chancellor His Holiness Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, Professor Ali Mohammed Naqvi and Professor Naima Khatoon.
Ahead of PM Modi’s speech at AMU, several student groups have threatened to show him black flags because they believe that he was not honest in check the communal riots in 2002 Gujarat riots as the-then Chief minister.
Historian Irfan Habib, who has also happens to a professor at AMU, on Monday expressed that it is not a matter of pride for AMU that PM Modi will be addressing its centenary celebrations as he represents Indian culture in a wrong manner. Mr Irfan further expressed that AMU is for scholars and not those who believe in their own divisive culture.
