A Letter to the Students of Aligarh Muslim University : Part - 1

Dear fellow proud Aligs,

I began drafting this letter three months ago, making final adjustments on the day before October 17th. I'm sharing these thoughts with you. I urge you to read this letter with utmost attention.

Today, October 17th, marks the birth anniversary of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the founder of this declining university. Unless you're aware of the university's current struggles and administrative paralysis, it's hard to grasp the full extent of this sorrow. Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's grand personality is well-known, and on this day, you'll hear his eulogy from at least 20 podiums across the university's 1,100 acres. However, the praise is now an archaic script that everyone recites, but its significance no longer resonates. From top administrators to students, no one truly cares about the values Sir Syed stood for.

The man dedicated his life to building this enormous university, yet future generations now indulge in extravagance on his birthday. If they had studied his life, they wouldn't be so consumed by excess. They've lost sight of his spirit but still claim to uphold his vision. Amidst glittering lights and lavish dinner parties, his vision has become obscured to the point of darkness. Standards have plummeted so low that even minor acts of activism or academic progress are touted as groundbreaking.

This university is called the last bastion of Muslim voice in India and for the entire Muslim community. They cry for the Palestinians on their social media, but when it comes to action, they cannot sacrifice even a dinner. Roughly two crores are spent on the entire expenditure of celebrating Sir Syed Day. But they cannot restrain this celebration even for a year and divert the funds for the Palestinians.

There are multifaceted underlying problems with the administration and the students. The administration is such a pigeon-hearted, meek entity that it couldn't tolerate any visible support for the Palestinians on the campus. The students of Brown University are far more aware and ready to stand up for oppression than the students of Muslim University. They demanded divestment and sanctions for Israel, but the students of Muslim University couldn't even show solidarity to the Palestinians; instead, they had to satisfy themselves with boycotting Coca-Cola and McDonald's to reconcile with their impotency.

They call this university the 'Oxford of the East' and what not. What can one infer from this? Isn't it a cosmic delusion? Petty politics, corruption, favoritism, lobbyism, and orthodoxy are deeply ingrained in this university. The so-called leaders are drowning in self-interest and greed, jeopardizing the university's functioning. These same leaders, who gain popularity by advocating for the Palestinian cause, dare not speak up against the university administration or utilize their connections to turn words into actions.

They're trapped in this cursed rabbit hole. Their last resort is blaming others for the university's decline. They blame Hindutva forces for the setback and demonization of the university, without realizing that there's no greater enemy than the ones within.

It is again the agony of our times that we have a generation that is hyper-individualistic. Its aims are diametrically opposite to what Sir Syed Ahmad Khan envisioned for the future. They are either hedonistic or stuck in romanticized narratives surrounding this university. This disease of romanticization and refusal to move beyond the past is typical of the entire Muslim community. They justify their present demise and lethargy with historical narratives of past greatness and flourishing.

Nonetheless, the only ray of hope lies with the students themselves, who should ask relevant and critical questions to the administration and self-proclaimed caretakers of the community. They should expose the hypocrisy and treacherous attitudes of stakeholders. Remember, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan didn't establish this university so corrupt administrators could feast on its resources. He founded it with a deeply rooted cause: empowering students to shape the future of this university and community as a whole. Do not let people motivated by self-interest and egoism dominate with their insidious narratives. Let's be the change. Let's make this institution a movement again. Dear Aligs, remember, millions of our brethren have pinned their hopes on us. Unlike us, they are not privileged enough to speak or write, but they are a part of us, and we must not forget them.