JKSA seeks FIR, removal of UP minister over remarks calling AMU, Jamia ‘terror hubs’

The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Wednesday demanded the removal of Uttar Pradesh Minister Thakur Raghuraj Singh from the state Cabinet and registration of an FIR against him over his remarks describing Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and Jamia Millia Islamia as “hubs of terrorists”.

The association also urged the BJP's national leadership and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to publicly condemn the minister's remarks and take action against him.

JKSA National Convenor Nasir Khuehami described the comments as communal and inflammatory, accusing Singh of stigmatising students and undermining two prominent educational institutions.

Khuehami said elected representatives holding constitutional positions should not use their offices to spread communal hatred, malign educational institutions or create an atmosphere of fear among students.

He said AMU and Jamia had made significant contributions to India's freedom struggle, intellectual development and nation-building, adding that their legacy should not be reduced to their religious identities.

The association warned that branding students as potential terrorists based on the institutions they attend could deepen alienation and legitimise prejudice.

Singh had triggered controversy after describing AMU and Jamia as terrorist hubs and threatening to shut down both institutions if given an opportunity. He also alleged that the universities were funded through Hindu taxpayers' money while nurturing “traitors and terrorists”.