In a striking display of inter-community solidarity, members of the Sikh community assembled outside Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, to support students protesting the planned demolition of most of its buildings. The university, founded in 2006 by Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan and named after freedom fighter Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar, faces an order from the Rampur Development Authority to raze 38 of its 40 structures, citing unauthorised construction and land-related dispute.
Students have been holding an indefinite sit-in for days, arguing that the action threatens the futures of over 2,000–3,000 enrolled learners, many from underprivileged backgrounds, in a region with limited higher-education options. The campus spans more than 250 acres and offers courses in sciences, law, pharmacy, paramedical fields, and more. Critics of the demolition, including opposition leaders, call it disproportionate “bulldozer justice” that prioritises political targeting over education. Supporters of the order point to long-standing allegations of irregular land acquisition and building approvals dating back years.
Sikh leaders and ordinary Sardars joined the protest site, standing with the students under yellow canopies. In interviews, they delivered a powerful message: education must come first. One speaker declared that authorities could take their Gurdwaras if necessary, places of worship that can be rebuilt elsewhere, but the university, described as a “temple of education,” must be spared. They stressed that the institution serves students of all communities, including Hindus, Sikhs, and others, and warned of larger mobilisations akin to past farmers’ protests if the demolition proceeds.
JANPATH NEWS NETWORK (JNN)
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