New Delhi, May 7: Violence broke out inside the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) campus last week as the row over the portrait of Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah escalated. In wake of the ongoing protest in the University, the examinations in the varsity have been postponed till May 12.  "Examinations in Aligarh Muslim University have been postponed till May 12 due to the ongoing protests," Public Relations Officer, Umar Salim Parizda told ANI.

It must be noted that the controversy surrounding Jinnah's poster triggered after BJP Aligarh MP Satish Gautam wrote a letter to AMU's Vice-Chancellor seeking an explanation on the portrait of Pakistan's founder in the students' union office.

In the varsity, Jinnah’s portrait was hanging among a galaxy of luminaries like Mahatma Gandhi, Maulana Azad, Jawaharlal Nehru, CV Raman, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, VV Giri and APJ Abdul Kalam, he added.  “All these personalities were the life members of the AMUSU.”

It must be noted that the portrait of Jinnah has been hanging on a wall in the students’ union's office at AMU for decades. In the last week, a clash broke out between students of the AMU and the police over the matter. Reports inform that internet services were also suspended in the varsity to prevent the communal flare-up over the issue.

In a letter written to Vice-Chancellor Tariq Mansoor, Aligarh MP Satish Gautam objected to the Pakistan founder’s picture on the walls of the AMU student union office. A BJP MP has asked Aligarh Muslim University to explain why it displays a portrait of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, triggering a row day after a student sought permission to hold an RSS shakha on the university premises.

In the last week, AMU spokesman Shafey Kidwai on Tuesday defended the portrait, which has apparently been hanging there for decades, saying that Jinnah was a founder member of the university court and granted life membership of the student union. Traditionally, photographs of all life members are placed on the walls of the student union, he was quoted by PTI.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 07, 2018 08:50 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).