Aligarh: The alleged suspension of the Adhan (call to prayer) through loudspeakers at mosques on the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) campus during Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s visit has triggered criticism from students, who called the move an infringement on religious freedoms and questioned the need for such restrictions.
According to several students, Adhan announcements from campus mosques remained suspended for several hours on June 22 as part of security arrangements during the Chief Minister’s official programme in Aligarh. Adityanath attended public events and addressed gatherings before cutting short his visit following a deadly coaching centre fire in Lucknow.
A student, Aman, said he was informed while preparing to deliver the Adhan at the McDonald Hostel mosque in Aftab Hall that loudspeaker announcements had been stopped across the campus until the following morning’s Fajr prayers.
“Sometimes even students give Adhan in the mosques inside the hostel. I was going for Zuhr namaz when I was told that we cannot give it on the loudspeaker till the next morning,” Aman said.
He claimed that when he asked about the reason and authority behind the decision, the mosque imam told him it was an order from the administration. Aman, who has lived on the AMU campus for eight years, said he had never witnessed such a situation before.
Another final-year postgraduate student, Azimur Rahman, also claimed that police and university officials visited mosque authorities and directed them to switch off loudspeakers before the Chief Minister’s visit.
He further alleged that a message regarding the restriction was circulated in WhatsApp groups by Professor Mohammad Rashid, the Nazim of AMU mosques, a university-appointed official responsible for managing campus mosques.
When contacted, Rashid initially referred the matter to the registrar and proctor for confirmation. Later, he said the restriction was not limited to the university and that loudspeaker-based Adhan had also been restricted in the Civil Lines area of Aligarh.
“I do not think there is any harm. Namaz happened, only Adhan on loudspeakers was restricted,” he said, adding that people should follow directions issued by the district administration or government.
However, AMU Proctor Nadeem Khan denied the allegations and said no such action was taken by the university administration.
“These are baseless accusations made by some students. If anything of this sort happens, the administration issues written communication, but we were not given any such direction,” he said.
The controversy intensified after Kaif Hasan, an LLM student and legal practitioner, wrote an open letter to the Vice-Chancellor, faculty members and alumni, alleging that the suspension of Adhan through loudspeakers was unprecedented in AMU’s history.
“For what is believed to be the first time in the entire history of this University, the Adhan at University Mosques was silenced,” the letter claimed, questioning who authorised the move and under what authority.
Kaif demanded accountability from the university administration and said the institution must explain why such a decision was taken.
“Whether the varsity administration agrees or not, it has happened. Students have told us about it, and I am also a student. The administration owes every student, teacher and alumnus an answer,” he said.
He also criticised the use of university facilities for political events, saying officials should recognise that the institution is not a place to pursue political interests.
The allegations were not limited to AMU. Residents claimed that mosques in different parts of Aligarh city were also instructed to stop broadcasting Adhan through loudspeakers during the Chief Minister’s presence in the district.
A resident of Zohra Bagh, Qasim Atique, alleged that police removed amplifiers from several mosques without formal notice.
“Even the local councillor was supporting the police,” he claimed.
Another resident from the Doharra bypass area said the amplifier at Ayesha Masjid was removed by police and returned the next day.
Aligarh Superintendent of Police Neeraj Kumar Jadaun, however, denied that any such order was issued, saying no loudspeakers were removed.
No official order regarding the alleged restrictions has been publicly verified so far. The issue has sparked a debate over balancing security arrangements with religious practices.
The controversy comes amid existing tensions between sections of the AMU community and the Uttar Pradesh government. Students have demanded clarification from the university and district authorities regarding who ordered the suspension and the legal basis for such restrictions.
Some students argued that security concerns, if any, could have been addressed through alternative arrangements without stopping the call to prayer. The university and district administration had not issued a detailed public statement addressing the concerns at the time.