Aligarh: Several teachers of the Aligarh Muslim University held silent march opposing the Citizens (Amendment) Act Thursday, days after the institute witnessed police crackdown against its students who were agitating against the new legislation.
The protestors, including a large number of women teachers, marched from the AMU Teachers Club to the Purani Chungi crossing and circled the campus.
“We want to convey to the people of India that our struggle against the Citizens (Amendment) Act will continue peacefully within the democratic framework of the system,” AMU Teachers Association secretary, Professor Najmul Islam said.
“We feel that we are fighting for the idea of India as envisaged by the founding fathers of the nation. This is not a struggle for the rights of any particular community,” he stressed.
Hundreds of AMU students protesting against the amended Citizenship Act clashed with police on Sunday at a campus gate, leaving 60 injured. After the protest, the adminstration announced closure of the university till January 5.
The clashes at AMU started after an agitation by Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia students against the legislation turned violent and police used batons and tear gas to disperse them.
The Samajwadi Party held a protest march Thursday from its city office near Jail Road up to the Tasvir Mahal crossing where they handed over a memorandum to the district authorities demanding immediate revocation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
The district authorities erected barriers preventing the protestors from reaching the collectorate. Barriers had been put up at several areas adjoining the AMU campus.
In Aligarh town’s sensitive Upper Court area which witnessed major protests on Wednesday, shopkeepers downed their shutters to express solidatity with the cause.
In the afternoon, however,they opened their shops when tension subsided in different parts of the city, police said.
PTI