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Rampur. Political activity has suddenly intensified amid the sound of bulldozer action on the buildings of Mohammad Ali Johar University located in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh. The Samajwadi Party delegation led by Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Mata Prasad Pandey has submitted a memorandum to the District Magistrate of Rampur demanding an immediate stop to the proposed decision to demolish 38 buildings of the university. SP leaders directly allege that the ruling party is targeting this prestigious educational institution due to political hatred.

In fact, preparations are being made by the Rampur Development Authority and the district administration to demolish more than three dozen buildings of the university campus, terming them illegal. SP says that this is not just a matter of demolishing brick and stone buildings, but the future of thousands of students, teachers and employees is directly at stake. This action, being taken ignoring the principles of law and natural justice, is against the education system.

Johar University demolition action protested citing rules and regulations

Challenging the steps being taken at the administrative level, opposition leader Mata Prasad Pandey has presented many technical and legal facts in the memorandum. According to him, when the establishment and construction work of the university was going on, the land concerned was part of village ‘Singan Kheda’ Panchayat area. At that time there was no statutory requirement of any prior permission for this type of construction under the Uttar Pradesh Panchayat Raj Act 1947 or any other law.

Not only this, it has been clarified in the memorandum that at the time of construction, Seegan Kheda village was under ‘R.B.O. It did not even come under the purview of any regulated area under the Act 1958 (Regulation of Building Operations Act). In such a situation, making the construction illegal by applying the later laws retrospectively is completely illegal and unjust.

Questions raised on the claims of Rampur Development Authority

In fact, a major reversal of dates appears to be at the center of the entire controversy. According to the facts of the memorandum, 62 new revenue villages were included in the Rampur Development Area on September 27, 2024, in which Seegan Kheda was also brought under the limits of Rampur Development Authority (RDA) for the first time.

Samajwadi Party argues that when Seegan Kheda village was brought under the purview of the authority, the construction work of the university had been completed long before that. In such a situation, it is legally wrong for the authority to take demolition action on the old construction on the basis of not passing the map or violating the rules.

Crisis on children’s future and right to education

The Leader of Opposition launched a scathing attack and said that this attitude of the administration is like snatching the pen from the hands of poor children and depriving them of quality education. The action being taken against this institute, established with the aim of providing better education to the youth of the area, is a direct attack on the interests of the students.

The SP delegation has demanded that the order to demolition of 38 buildings should be canceled immediately and even if there is any dispute, it should be resolved through a legal and fair process, so that the general public and students are not harmed.