Rampur protests demolition of Azam Khan‑founded Mohammad Ali Jauhar University

Students, alumni and local residents in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, have staged an indefinite sit‑in to block the demolition of 38 of the 40 buildings at Mohammad Ali Jauhar University. The university, established by Muslim politician Azam Khan in 2006, was ordered torn down by the Rampur Development Authority (RDA) on the grounds that most structures lacked proper regulatory approval, with only two buildings deemed legal. The RDA set a deadline of 5 August for removal and warned of bulldozers and cost recovery if the university failed to comply.

Protests intensified on 15 July when the youth movement Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) rallied, a wave that also saw a minister resign in New Delhi after nationwide education‑reform demonstrations. The state administration later issued an interim stay on the demolition order, but university vice‑chancellor Zaheeruddin clarified that the stay merely postpones the deadline rather than cancelling the demolition. Around 3,000 students on the 250‑acre campus face uncertainty as the legal battle continues.