Hindu students and Organisations are determined to celebrate Holi in AMU.

Ban on Holi at Aligarh Muslim University? – Tensions due to Protests  from Hindu organizations.

Thousands of students organize Iftar parties for Ramadan in every hostel and academic department. No one has ever had any problem with this. Shouldn’t only Hindu students celebrate Holi in the central university? 

Upendra Bharti | HENB | Aligarh | March 7, 2025:: A complaint has been raised that Hindu students were not allowed to celebrate Holi at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in Uttar Pradesh. A tense situation has arisen in AMU due to protests from Hindutva organisations in this regard.

Some Hindu students had sought permission to hold Holi celebrations at AMU, a central government university. The university administration had said that there was no objection to playing Holi on the campus and that they should not try to create a new tradition by seeking permission for this. The university administration tried to set a diplomatic measure by not giving a formal permission for the Holi  celebrations inside or outside the AMU campus.

Regarding this, Akhil Kaushal, one of the students who sought permission for Holi, said, “Eid Milan is being held at the Vice-Chancellor’s residence. Thousands of students organize Iftar parties for Ramadan in every hostel and academic department. No one has ever had any problem with this. Shouldn’t only Hindu students celebrate Holi in the central university? Yet we are seeking permission to celebrate it only in the AMU auditorium, which is outside the university campus.”

In this situation, the issue of Holi celebrations in AMU has intensified. The matter has become even more heated with the arrival of Karni Sena. Today, the Sena’s state president Thakur Gyanendra Singh Chauhan led a protest in front of the AMU gate. The Karni Sena has also warned that if permission is not given for Holi, they will forcibly enter the university campus and celebrate. Due to this, a tense situation has started developing in the AMU campus.

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Brijlal said, “I condemn this unfortunate move. Aligarh Muslim University is not a minority university. It is built on the land of Maharaja Mahendra Pratap Singh. It is unfortunate that Holi is not allowed there. The government should take a decision in this matter. In which, the Aligarh University administration should make arrangements so that the festival cannot be stopped.”

Last year, Hindu students were playing Holi on the AMU campus. At that time, Muslim students chased them away and protested. In this context, before Holi, on March 10, the day of ‘Rang Purn Ekadashi’, it has been announced that hundreds of Karni Sainiks from the Akhil Bharatiya Karni Sena will go to the university and play Holi with Hindu students.

Interestingly, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has long been perceived as a hub for Muslim fundamentalism, particularly in campus politics. However, this trend has faced recent challenges from Hindutva student groups, who have been galvanized by the rising nationalist movements sweeping the country.
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__Agency inputs.