ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY

Student groups split ahead of Kovind's visit tomorrow

Aligarh Muslim University Representational image | Aligarh Muslim University's website

Two weeks after a section of the students union at Aligarh Muslim University warned that RSS members would not be allowed to accompany President Ram Nath Kovind for the institution's convocation ceremony on Wednesday, another group has now said the president himself wasn't welcome.

Students union vice-president Sajad Subhan Rather said Kovind would not be welcomed until he apologised for a controversial statement he made in 2010. In 2010, when he was a BJP spokesman, Kovind had referred to Christianity and Islam as being faiths that are alien to India.

Rather warned that the president and AMU vice-chancellor Tariq Mansoor would be held responsible for any untoward incident. Rather, however, claimed Kovind would be welcome if he said all religions were equal.

However, other office bearers of the union adopted a more moderate tone, claiming the president would be welcomed but RSS members would not be allowed to accompany him.

Meanwhile, another group, the Muslim Youth Association, has declared it would gather 11,000 Muslim youth to wave saffron flags to welcome the president at the university. The association, which has links to the RSS, has demanded action against those students opposing Kovind's visit, claiming they had tarnished AMU's image.