Jolt to Azam Khan as Yogi govt reclaims land of SP leader's Jauhar University in Rampur

In a setback for Samajwadi Party MP Mohd Azam Khan, the Uttar Pradesh government on Friday reclaimed the land of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Rampur. According to reports, the Rampur district administration has taken control of 170 hectares of the varsity land, which was run by a trust headed by Khan.

This development came after the Allahabad High Court on Monday dismissed a plea filed by Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust against the Uttar Pradesh government to take over the university land. The Rampur administration had initiated the action for failing to adhere to certain conditions on which the Trust was granted the land in 2005 to construct an educational institution.

A team of the local revenue department employees went to the university on Thursday to complete the formalities of reclaiming 170 acres of land, officials said.

"The property of the government returns in the hands of the government. This is Modi-Yogi rule," tweeted Shalabh Mani Tripathi, the media advisor of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

Established in 2006, the Jauhar University is run by the Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust. Samajwadi Party MP Azam Khan is the president of the trust as well as the chancellor of the university which ran into trouble over allegations of irregularities and land encroachment. Khan and his son Abdullah, who is also an active member of the trust, are currently lodged in the Sitapur jail.

Jauhar University land controversy

Citing the SDM's report, the Allahabad High Court said a mosque was constructed over the land that was allotted only for educational purposes, thus violating the permission granted by the state government. In 2005, the then Samajwadi Party government enacted the Mohammad Ali Jauhar University Act, which permitted the construction of the university.

The state government further granted permission to the Trust to acquire 400 acres of land against the ceiling of 12.5 acres for the establishment of the University while imposing certain conditions, one of which was that the land will be used only for educational purposes. According to law, if such a condition is violated, the permission granted by the state government stands withdrawn. 

(With inputs from agency)