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New Delhi: The Muhammad Ali Jauhar University faces an existential threat. The threat of bulldozers looms large over the private varsity that was constructed by a trust founded by senior Samajwadi Party leader Mohammad Azam Khan.

After facing administrative and political scrutiny ever since the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in Uttar Pradesh, the varsity, which has around 3,000 students, is now staring at a possible demolition after the administration declared that almost all the buildings constructed in the sprawling campus were illegal. The Rampur Development Authority (RDA) has said that 38 out of the 40 buildings in the university were constructed without proper authorisation within the notified area of the RDA and violated provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Town Planning and Development Act, 1973.

With Azam Khan in jail, his wife and former member of parliament, Tazeen Fatma, who has served as the secretary of the varsity as well as its founding trust, spoke to The Wire about the demolition notice. The 77-year-old stated that the threat of demolition was not only the latest in the long line of moves by the government to trouble Azam Khan and his family, but also a cynical attempt to distract the public from the Ram Mandir donation scam.

However, she contends that the attempts to polarise voters ahead of the election seems to have fallen flat as the university is receiving widespread support amidst calls that the government withdraw its decision to raze one of the biggest universities in the state.

Students of Muhammad Ali Jauhar University protest outside campus over the demolition notice in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh. Photo: By arrangement

Excerpts from a telephonic interview:

How do you see the notice issued for the demolition of the university? The administration has given you 15 days to remove the buildings.

This notice is absolutely illegal. Our university is........

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