Explained: Why Mohammad Ali Jauhar University's 38 Buildings Face Demolition In Rampur

The Rampur Development Authority (RDA) has ordered the demolition of 38 buildings at Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, alleging that they were constructed without approved building plans. The action has been initiated under Section 27(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973, following an inquiry and examination of official records.

According to the RDA, only two buildings on the campus had valid building approvals, while the remaining 38 lacked the mandatory sanctions. Officials said the inquiry was launched after a report submitted by the Regional Junior Engineer.

The order has sparked a political controversy, with Opposition parties accusing the BJP government of targeting an educational institution. The administration, however, has maintained that the action is based solely on violations of planning laws.

Mohammad Ali Jauhar University

Mohammad Ali Jauhar University is a private university in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, established in 2006 by the Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust. It was granted university status in 2012, is recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC), and received minority status from the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) in 2013.

The university has remained at the centre of legal disputes over the land on which its campus was established.

In 2023, the Uttar Pradesh government cancelled its land lease, alleging that land allotted for setting up a research institute had instead been used to establish a university.

The Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust challenged the decision before the Allahabad High Court, which upheld the cancellation in March 2024. The trust then approached the Supreme Court, which, in October 2024, declined to interfere with the High Court's order, allowing the state's decision to stand.

The Azam Khan Connection

The university was established through an Act passed by the Uttar Pradesh Legislature in 2006 and is located around 12 kilometres from Rampur railway station.

Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan served as Chancellor and lifetime president of the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, which managed the university. Earlier this year, Khan and members of his family stepped down from the university's governing trust.

The Legal Disputes

Rampur District Magistrate Ajay Kumar Dwivedi said a personal hearing was held on July 15, attended by officials and lawyers representing both the university and the RDA. The hearing followed the university's reply submitted on July 8.

The university argued that Singankhera village, where the campus is situated, did not fall under the RDA's jurisdiction before September 27, 2024. It contended that approval from the development authority was therefore not required when the buildings were constructed and that they could not now be declared illegal under the present rules.

The RDA rejected these submissions, including the university's arguments relating to the master plan, zonal plan and other provisions of the Act. According to the authority, approval from the competent authority was mandatory at the time of construction, irrespective of when the area came under the development authority's jurisdiction.

The order states that records of the Rampur Zila Panchayat showed only the medical college building and the academic block had approved building plans. The remaining 38 structures did not have valid approval.

The authority further said the university management was aware of the approval process because permission had been obtained for those two buildings, while the other structures were constructed without sanction. It concluded that the buildings violated the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act.

Political Reactions

The demolition order has drawn sharp political reactions.

Samajwadi Party spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chand accused the BJP government of pursuing "a policy of demolition instead of development". Describing Mohammad Ali Jauhar University as a centre of learning, he alleged that the state government was targeting educational institutions and said the Samajwadi Party would focus on development if voted to power.

Congress spokesperson Sachin Rawat also criticised the action, alleging that the BJP government was selectively using bulldozer action and government agencies against Opposition leaders. He questioned why similar action was not taken against those associated with the ruling party who faced allegations of wrongdoing.

Responding to critics, Uttar Pradesh Minority Welfare Minister Danish Azad Ansari defended the government's action. He alleged that several norms had been ignored during the establishment of the university and said residents of Rampur had repeatedly raised complaints over the alleged irregularities. According to Ansari, the administration ordered an inquiry after examining these complaints, and action was being taken against those found responsible on the basis of the investigation.