SP MP Ramji Lal Suman meets AMU students protesting fee hike

Aligarh(UP), Aug 16 (PTI) Rajya Sabha MP and Samajwadi Party's National General Secretary Ramji Lal Suman on Saturday visited Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) to show solidarity with students protesting a recent fee hike.

Suman met the students outside the Sir Syed Gate and urged AMU authorities to begin a dialogue with them.

Speaking to the media, Suman criticised the university for what he called a lack of effort by senior officials to engage in talks with the protesting students.

"It is unfortunate that no senior university functionary has so far made efforts to start parleys with the protesting students," Suman stated. He also added that a university's purpose is to nurture communication skills and that there was no reason for AMU to avoid holding student union elections for several years.

Suman, who was denied entry into the campus due to a university rule prohibiting political leaders, said that while he did not want to politicise the issue, his party would "not hesitate to raise the issue in Parliament if the situation so warrants." He extended his moral support to the students, assuring them that the Samajwadi Party was closely monitoring the situation.

Meanwhile, a medical team examined two students who are on a fast-unto-death, which has now entered its third day. The students are protesting a decision by the university's Academic Council to increase fees by up to 20 per cent for existing students, a move that the university claims will be implemented in phases. PTI COR CDN AMJ AMJ