The Mohammad Ali Jauhar University founded by SP leader Azam Khan in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, has landed in a fresh controversy after the Rampur Development Authority ordered the demolition of 38 buildings on its campus for lacking an approved construction map. What makes the case striking is how it came to light in the first place, through a fire safety audit that began after a coaching centre fire in Lucknow, and it has left the university facing the threat of bulldozer action.
A major lapse exposed during a fire audit
After a fire broke out at a coaching centre in Lucknow, the Rampur fire department launched an audit of coaching centres and educational institutes across the district. During this exercise, when the fire department's team inspected Jauhar University, the university administration could not produce approved maps for 38 of its buildings. Under the rules, a building must have an approved map before it can be granted a fire licence. The audit revealed that only 2 buildings on the campus had passed maps, while the remaining 38 had been constructed without any approved plan. Once this negligence surfaced, the Rampur administration issued a formal notice to the university based on the fire department's complaint.
The university's reply and the demolition order
On 6 July, the university submitted a written response to the notice, arguing that the land in question fell under the jurisdiction of the Gram Panchayat rather than the Rampur Development Authority, and so the requirement to get maps approved did not apply. The administration rejected this defence, pointing out that even though the area was under the Gram Panchayat before 2024, the university itself had gotten maps passed for 2 buildings during that period, raising the question of why the other 38 were never approved. Following this exchange, the administration took a firm stand and passed a demolition order on 15 July. The order states that the university must either tear down the illegal construction itself within 15 days or the administration will proceed with legal action and demolish the structures. The university administration currently has the option of filing an appeal in court to seek a stay on the order.
The fire officer's startling revelations
Rampur fire officer Vijay Kumar Singh shared several important details about the case. He said that in the event of any fire emergency, the lives of students and staff at Jauhar University are directly at risk. The demolition order for the 38 buildings without approved maps was issued after this very fire department audit. Singh explained that after the fire at the Lucknow coaching centre tragically claimed 15 students' lives, an inspection of educational colleges and institutes in Rampur was carried out, and it was during this inspection that Jauhar University was examined. The inspection found that fire safety norms were simply not being followed on the campus. He warned that if a fire accident were to occur, it would pose an enormous risk to students. He also noted that at some spots, fire extinguishers are present but are not in working condition.
What further action could follow
According to Vijay Kumar Singh, the fire department had already asked the university for building maps on 7 July, but no documents have been provided by the university so far. Because of this, the fire department issued another notice to the university, giving it 7 days to respond. If no response is received within this period, the department will press the administration for further action under fire safety norms. He also revealed that fire licences had been obtained for some buildings back in 2012, but those licences are no longer valid today. The possible action going forward is not limited to demolition alone, it could also include disconnecting electricity and water supply to the buildings.
Political uproar as Akhilesh Yadav and Azam Khan's family react sharply
The administration's action against Jauhar University has triggered a political storm, with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Azam Khan's family strongly condemning the move. Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the BJP sees communalism even in the field of education, saying that education, teachers, students, and the jobs that come after education have no place at all in the BJP's agenda. Separately, Azam Khan's wife arrived at the Jauhar University campus and was seen getting angry at the policemen stationed there. The episode has added fresh heat to Rampur's political landscape, and the matter appears set to escalate further in the coming days.
