AMU Jinnah Row: PM Modi's portrait replaces AMU founder Sir Syed Ahmed Khan's in PWD guest house; probe ordered

The controversy over the missing portrait of a Pakistani founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah from the students union hall of Aligarh Muslim University seems has no end. The politico crisis over the students union protest on missing Jinnah portrait had gone sour for the nation. After Jinnah portrait, AMU founder Sir Syed Ahmed Khan's portrait was taken down from the PWD guest house in Aligarh. Now as per reports, Sir Syed's portrait has been replaced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's portrait at the Public Works Department guest house in Khair town of Aligarh.

Aligarh district magistrate Chandra Bhushan Singh has ordered a probe into the alleged removal of Sir Syed’s portrait.

“As PWD guest house is a state-owned property, there is nothing unusual in putting up the photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi but the allegations of the removal of AMU founder’s portrait are being looked into,” Singh said.

Also read: AMU Jinnah Row: Yoga guru Ramdev Baba join the row, says 'Muslims don't believe in Idols, then why to worry over Jinnah portrait

“It seems that the issue has been raised mischievously to add fuel to the existing controversy. A probe has already been ordered to find out the truth. The probe report is yet to be submitted,” the DM said.

Earlier, on Tuesday, while speaking at a yoga session at Bihar's Nalanda, Patanjali owner Ramdev Baba made a controversial remark over the AMU Jinnah row and said, Ab musalman toh chitron aur murtiyon mein vishwas nahi rakhte. Unko toh iss baare mein chinta hi nahi karni chahiye, Ramdev said. "The ghost of Jinnah is hogging a lot of limelight," Ramdev told news agencies, adding that the Pakistan founder is good for his country but can "never be an ideal figure to those who believe in India's unity and integrity.

The row came into limelight after the BJP's Aligarh leader Satish Gautam questioned Jinnah's portrait's presence in the AMU's student union office. AMU authorities stated that Jinnah was a founder-member of the university's court and was granted life membership of the student union.

In the clash that broke out between students and police on May 3 at least 28 people were injured, including students and 13 cops were injured, over the former demanding action against right-wing protesters who entered the campus and wanted Jinnah's portrait removed from the student union office, where it has been hanging for decades.