Mohammad Ali Jauhar University
Rampur: The local development authority in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur has issued an order for the demolition of 38 buildings at the Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, claiming that they were built without the required approvals from the appropriate authority.
The Rampur Development Authority’s actions have since triggered backlash and criticism over the alleged selective targeting of the institution and the potential impact on students.
The university has been given 15 days to remove the “unauthorised structures,” after which authorities will proceed with the demolition.
The university is administered by the Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, which was earlier chaired by jailed former minister and senior Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan.
On Wednesday, July 15, the Rampur District Magistrate and RDA Vice-Chairperson Ajay Kumar Dwivedi issued the demolition order citing Section 27 of the UP Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973.
“The buildings of Jauhar University were constructed in Gram Singham Kheda, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Rampur Development Authority,” Dwivedi told reporters.
“During the investigation, it became known that there was a building without permission. They were given notice, and they have since given a written response. Out of the 40 buildings constructed at Jauhar University, only two were considered acceptable. The other 38 were proven invalid,” he said.
The notices were initially issued to the secretary of Mahommad Ali Jauhar Trust and the university registrar on June 28 and 29, respectively, after a local lodged a complaint. The university management filed its written reply on July 8, after which a personal hearing was conducted on July 15 in the presence of officials, legal representatives of the university and RDA authorities.
During the hearing, the university argued that the campus, located in Singankhera village, did not fall within the jurisdiction of the Rampur Development Authority before September 27, 2024. It maintained that approval from the RDA was therefore not required when the buildings were constructed and contended that the structures could not be retrospectively declared illegal under the present jurisdiction.
The development authority rejected this argument, stating that permission from the competent authority applicable at the time of construction was mandatory, irrespective of whether the area later came under the RDA’s jurisdiction.
According to the demolition order, official records obtained from the Rampur Zila Panchayat showed that only two structures — the medical college building and the academic block — had approved building plans. The remaining 38 buildings, the authority said, had no valid construction approvals.
The RDA further observed that the university management was fully aware of the legal requirement to obtain permission before construction, as it had secured approval from the Zila Panchayat for the two authorised buildings. Despite this, it proceeded with the construction of the remaining structures without obtaining the necessary sanctions.
Concluding its findings, the authority held that the constructions violated the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act and were therefore liable for demolition and other action under the law.
It also dismissed the university’s legal submissions concerning the master plan, zonal plan and other provisions of the Act, maintaining that the legality of any structure is determined by whether it received approval from the competent authority under the laws in force at the time it was built.
The Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister, Brajesh Pathak, defended the government’s stand and said the administration was committed to ensuring that the rule of law is followed without exception.
“Our government is committed to maintaining law and order. We will ensure that the law is upheld in every situation and that no unauthorised construction takes place,” he told the media.
Minority Welfare Minister Danish Azad Ansari also justified the action, saying that the university had been developed by encroaching upon public property rather than for the welfare of the community.
“Jauhar University was not built for the welfare of society, nor was it built to educate poor Muslims. It was built for personal interests. Government land was encroached upon for the construction of the university. Government-built roads worth crores were included on the university campus; some Waqf properties were also included. All this was revealed in an investigation. Following this, necessary action was taken,” Ansari told IANS.
The opposition Samajwadi Party, however, strongly criticised the move, describing the demolition order as politically motivated and discriminatory.
SP MLA Ravidas Mehrotra alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government was targeting the university out of spite.
Speaking to IANS, he said, “The BJP government is acting out of malice and a spirit of vendetta. They are preparing to bulldoze Jauhar University. The BJP government failed to bulldoze the homes of those who embezzled donations meant for the Ram Mandir, yet they are attempting to demolish a place where students study. The BJP will have to pay a heavy price for this; it has sparked anger among the youth.”
Mohammad Ali Jauhar University was established in 2006 through an Act passed by the Uttar Pradesh Legislature. It is situated around 12 kilometres from Rampur Station.
SP minister Azam Khan served as the Chancellor and lifetime president of the Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, which managed the university.
Earlier this year, Azam Khan and members of his family formally stepped down from the university’s governing trust.
(With inputs from IANS)
This post was last modified on July 16, 2026 3:58 pm