Indian lawmaker wants portrait of Quaid-e-Azam removed from Aligarh Muslim University

New Delhi: A lawmaker from India's ruling party demanded Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) remove portrait of Pakistan's founding father installed in the Students Union office.

In letter addressed to the Aligarh Muslim University V-C Tariq Mansoor, BJP MP Satish Gautam said, "It is fine if Jinnah has been revered in Pakistan after Partition. But his portrait should not be put up here in India.”

 He said instead of putting Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah's portrait , the university should celebrate the  contributions of Raja Mahendra Pratap and Sir Syed Ahmed who played a crucial role in establishing the university.

According to university officials, the portrait was installed in 1938 before Partition, at the peak of Muslim League campaign for a separate nation for the Muslims of India.

Reacting to the demand, Students Union has said Jinnah and  many other pre-Partition leaders were  conferred honorary membership of the university and their portraits have been installed in the campus since 1920.

“Jinnah’s portrait was installed when he was conferred life membership (of the Students’ Union) in 1938. AMU has many things from the pre-Partition era like the Victoria Gate. Should that be brought down as well?” asked former AMU Students’ Union President Faizul Hasan.

“It is a tradition since 1920 to honour people of eminence with life membership. AMU first conferred it on Mahatma Gandhi in 1920 and on Jinnah in 1938," AMU spokesman Omar Peerzada told a news channel.