AMU challenges takeover of prime land by Nagar Nigam, claims legal ownership

ALIGARH: Authorities at the Aligarh Muslim University are mulling to take legal action after the Aligarh Nagar Nigam took over 41 bighas of prime land currently under the university's Riding Club, claiming the land belonged to the civic body.

The estimated market value of the disputed land exceeds Rs 126 crore, sources said. In a swift operation on Wednesday, Nagar Nigam officials asserted ownership of the land and accused the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) of "illegally occupying" the property.

Chief municipal officer Vinod Kumar said, "AMU is unlawfully holding on to large chunks of government land. We are identifying such plots and taking appropriate action. All necessary procedural steps were followed before Wednesday's move."

According to municipal officials, AMU was asked to furnish ownership documents for the land but failed to do so -- a claim the university strongly refuted. Shakeel Ahmad Khan, member in-charge of AMU properties, told reporters, "We did not receive a single formal notice on this issue. We came to know informally that something was being planned, so we verbally informed the Nagar Nigam officials that we were ready to present documents upon receiving a written notice. However, our offer was ignored."

AMU's chief spokesperson Vibha Sharma said the university promptly issued an official statement following Wednesday's action. "AMU acquired the land more than 80 years ago under the Land Acquisition Act of 1894 through a government order. The university maintained continuous possession of the land for the past eight decades," Sharma said, adding that the university was not served a formal notice before the takeover.

She also confirmed that the university was in the process of initiating legal proceedings to reclaim the land. "We are taking all necessary legal steps to re-establish AMU's rightful ownership of the land," Sharma said.

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AMU versus Aligarh government

The Nagar Nigam's action has sparked outrage across the AMU community. Former AMU vice-chancellor Lt Gen Zameeruddin Shah (retd) told PTI, "It is difficult to understand how such drastic action could be taken without following the due legal process. All the relevant documents are in place, and I am confident that they will stand scrutiny in a court of law."

Former AMU students' union president Faizul Hasan demanded the resignation of senior varsity officials, alleging negligence and holding them responsible for the "crisis". A senior AMU official, requesting anonymity, questioned the municipality's claim.

"This land was not under the jurisdiction of the Aligarh municipality when AMU acquired it in the early 1940s. The Nagar Nigam's claim is baseless," the official said. Historian Rahat Abrar, an expert on the Aligarh Movement, also weighed in.

"This particular tract was selected by then vice-chancellor Ziauddin in the 1940s for establishing a medical college. Even a foundation stone was laid there. The idea that such a vital institutional plan would be carried out on a disputed land is unthinkable," Abrar said.

He added that earlier the AMU administration designated officials -- often retired state revenue officials -- to manage land and property records. "This system has weakened in recent years, contributing to the current situation," Abrar said. AMU's top officials convened an emergency meeting on Thursday and said a formal decision on the university's next course of action would be announced soon.