Demolition Notice for Azam Khan-Linked University Sparks Political Row in Uttar Pradesh
The Rampur Development Authority (RDA) has issued a demolition notice for 38 of 40 buildings at Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, citing unauthorised construction. The institution is affiliated with Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan, who serves as chairperson of the Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust that runs the university.
The notice, issued on July 15 by RDA vice-chairperson and District Magistrate Ajay Kumar Dwivedi under Section 27 of the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973, gives the university 15 days to remove the alleged illegal structures. Failure to comply will result in demolition by the administration.
The order has triggered sharp reactions from opposition parties, who accuse the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of targeting institutions linked to Muslim leaders. SP president Akhilesh Yadav said on X: “The BJP sees communalism even in education. Education, teachers, students, and the jobs that come with education are not on the BJP’s agenda. When will the BJP demolish the illegal buildings of its unregistered allies? When the allies themselves are unregistered, how can their buildings, offices, and institutions be legitimate? Condemnable.”
Congress national secretary Shahnawaz Alam called the action a “targeted and motivated step for political gains” and demanded that the court take suo motu cognisance. He said many universities across India were built decades before modern building regulations, and targeting one sends a polarising message before elections.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha criticised the move, stating: “The regime that seeks to destroy universities, whether with bulldozers or through administrative repression, doesn’t merely demolish buildings; it attacks thought, conscience, and the future.”
The development authority maintains that the structures were built without the required permissions and that the action is based on clear legal provisions. The university is yet to respond to the notice. Azam Khan, a former minister, has been convicted in multiple cases and is currently in jail.
This incident adds to a pattern of scrutiny faced by institutions associated with opposition politicians, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP government has pursued action against alleged illegal constructions. The demolition notice has intensified political debate over the use of regulatory measures in the run-up to state elections.
