With the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) closed since October 30 following unrest after the killing of a student, its Vice-Chancellor P K Abdul Aziz on Monday sent out an appeal to all students and parents to isolate misguided elements trying to disrupt peace on the campus.

In his appeal, released by AMU PRO Rahat Abrar, the V-C blamed outside elements and money for the trouble on campus, and said that even his predecessors were not allowed to function properly.

“Those who are aware of the events of AMU in the last two decades know that the university has been tormented by periodic disturbances incited by certain groups of people with well entrenched vested interests,” Aziz said. “The university cannot be blamed for the death of a non-resident student outside the precinct of the campus,” he added, targeting those blaming the authorities.

“It is not a coincidence that during the period of my immediate predecessor these forces succeeded in starting the students’ union. Soon the campus slipped into the hands of goons and criminals,” he said.

Shahnawaz Alam, a final year BSc student, was killed on October 25. Protesters have been demanding the removal of the V-C and some other officials of the University.

Terming the decision to close the AMU sine die as “tyrannical”, the students of the varsity staged a protest at Jantar Mantar on Monday. The students said the AMU administration's decision to close the university indefinitely was "autocratic” and demanded immediate restoration of academic activities on the campus and restoration of the students’ union.

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