Report: S. Muneer

Aligarh

The Samajwadi Party (SP) staged a sit-in protest at the Aligarh Collectorate under the leadership of city president Abdul Hameed Ghosi, opposing the proposed demolition of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur. Following the demonstration, a party delegation submitted a memorandum addressed to the President of India through the District Magistrate, urging an immediate reconsideration of the proposed action against the university.

Addressing the gathering, SP leaders stated that matters concerning educational institutions should be decided in accordance with the Constitution, the rule of law, and the principles of justice. They emphasized that every legal and constitutional aspect must be carefully examined before any decision is taken.

During the protest, the Samajwadi Party also levelled serious allegations regarding police conduct. According to the party, an audio recording allegedly relating to pressure on the police to detain SP leaders and workers had gone viral on social media two days earlier. The party claimed that following the circulation of the audio, police attempted to locate and detain city president Mohsin Mewati during the memorandum submission programme.

The party further alleged that when Mohsin Mewati objected to the police action, and Mulayam Singh Youth Brigade State Secretary Advocate Imran Pathan, along with Israr Solanki and Irfan Khan, also protested, a police officer present at the scene allegedly drew and brandished his official service pistol. According to the party, the incident created fear and tension among party workers and members of the public present at the protest site. The party also claimed that a video of the incident quickly went viral on social media, triggering widespread outrage among its supporters and raising serious questions about police conduct.

According to the Samajwadi Party, CO Second and CO Third immediately reached the spot and held discussions with both sides to defuse the situation. Thereafter, city president Abdul Hameed Ghosi appealed to party workers to maintain peace, patience, and discipline. Responding to his appeal, the workers completed the memorandum submission peacefully, preventing any untoward incident.

Speaking after the protest, Mohsin Mewati said the demonstration was entirely peaceful and democratic but alleged that retaliatory police action and inappropriate behaviour created unnecessary tension. He demanded a fair, transparent, and high-level inquiry into the incident and sought strict legal action against any officer found guilty.

Mulayam Singh Youth Brigade State Secretary Advocate Imran Pathan said that the Constitution of India guarantees every citizen the right to express their views and protest peacefully. He stated that if any attempt had been made to suppress a peaceful demonstration or intimidate party workers, an impartial inquiry should be conducted. He further demanded strict action against any police officer if the viral video or any other available evidence establishes misconduct.

The Samajwadi Party reiterated that it would continue its struggle within the constitutional and democratic framework if attempts to suppress democratic protests or pursue political vendetta continued. The party also demanded an impartial inquiry into the entire incident, stating that equal and unbiased enforcement of the law is essential to maintaining public confidence in democratic institutions.

Note: The allegations regarding police conduct are those made by the Samajwadi Party. The police version or official response was not available at the time of filing this report.