Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha stated that demolishing a functioning university serving around 3,000 students would amount to destroying an educational institution established under State legislation. File
\| Photo Credit: ANI

The Uttar Pradesh government continues to face questions over the proposed demolition of 38 out of 40 buildings at Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur, with Rajya Sabha member Manoj Kumar Jha on Monday writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his immediate intervention to halt the demolition.

“A university represents years of public effort, the labour of teachers and employees, the aspirants of students, and the educational future of an entire region. Any possible irregularities concerning building permissions can easily be addressed through regularisation, penalties, revised approvals or alterations to particular structures. Demolishing almost the infrastructure of a university cannot be a reasonable outcome of any regulatory action. No argument can make the demolition of 38 buildings of a university a reasonable or proportionate response. The proposed action is not only grossly excessive , but also appears to be politically vengeful and communally motivated. It is difficult to separate it from the sustained targeting of an institution founded by a prominent leader of an opposition party and identified especially with the educational advancement of Muslims and other disadvantaged communities,” Mr. Jha wrote in his letter to the Prime Minister.

Mr. Jha said such action would, for all practical purposes, amount to demolishing an entire functioning university created under State legislation and currently serving approximately 3,000 students. “Should this action be allowed to proceed, it will be remembered as one of the darkest blots on the history of 21st century India. The images of classrooms, libraries and laboratories being reduced to rubble would travel across the world and permanently damage India’s claim to be a democratic society committed to education and rule of law,” said the MP.

Published - July 20, 2026 03:32 pm IST