SP leader Azam Khan's University faces demolition over 38 illegal buildings; Here's how govt lands, enemy properties were improperly folded into campus?

The alleged illegality of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University, the 'flagship educational project' of Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, has been exposed after the Rampur Development Authority (RDA) issued a notice ordering the demolition of 38 buildings on campus in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh. The university has been issued a notice and given a 15-day window to remove these structures voluntarily, or the authority will bulldoze them down itself and bill the university for the cost.



Khan has long called the university his life's mission, and it was prominently promoted during Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party government as a flagship example of educational progress in western Uttar Pradesh. While supporters of Khan point to its role in broadening access to professional education in the region, long-standing concerns have recently been raised about how the land for the campus was originally obtained and developed.

Khan and his wife illegally grabbed lands for development


Earlier attempts to demolish parts of the campus, such as boundary walls and gates, were stalled by legal challenges. This latest action, however, is different in focus; rather than disputing land ownership, it targets violations of building codes specifically.

After the mounting politics in the state over the issue, officials have stated that the move is purely administrative, not politically motivated, pointing out that every property owner is required to secure building-plan approval before construction, and that the university is being held to the same standard as anyone else.

Samajwadi Party and Congress defend illegal land grabbing?



Meanwhile, Congress National Secretary Shahnawaz Alam echoed similar concerns, framing the demolition notice as part of a larger pattern by the BJP government to target institutions and structures associated with the Muslim community and its leaders. He argued that education serves as a foundation for empowerment and social unity, and that tearing down a university providing education amounts to a serious wrong. Alam pointed out that many universities across India were constructed decades ago, before current building codes existed, meaning numerous institutions likely have similar technical violations, yet singling out this particular university, he said, appears aimed at deepening social division ahead of elections and sending a message that structures or institutions linked to a specific community will be targeted. He urged the courts to take immediate suo motu cognizance of the issue.

RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha remarked that any regime intent on destroying universities, whether through bulldozers or administrative crackdowns, isn't merely demolishing buildings but is striking at thought, conscience, and the future itself.

For now, classes continue as normal, but the university's long-term future remains uncertain; its fate will depend on whether the management can secure court relief or otherwise satisfy the RDA's demands before the deadline passes.