Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, addressed the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) students and faculty as the chief guest on the centennial celebrations. AMU, set up in 1920, completes 100 years in 2020. Narendra Modi tweeted from his Twitter account, "Speaking at the Aligarh Muslim University. Watch."
Modi began his speech by saying, "I would begin by saying thank you for making me a part of your celebration and happiness on completing 100 years." He further said, "I see the campus buildings all lit up in celebrations. But these are not mere buildings, but the place from where innumerable alumni have contributed immensely in taking the nation forward."
Narendra Modi became the first Prime Minister to address the University. The last time a sitting PM attended an event at the university was in 1964, when Lal Bahadur Shastri delivered the convocation address.
On this occasion, PM Modi released a special commemorative postal stamp via video conferencing. AMU Chancellor Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin and Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank were also present at the occasion.
During his speech, PM Modi praised AMU saying, the way AMU helped society even during the Covid-19 crisis is unprecedented. PM said that getting thousands of tests for free, building isolation wards, building plasma banks and contributing a large amount to the PM Care Fund shows the seriousness of fulfilling their obligations to society.
Addressing the students Modi said, "We should work together to ensure that spirit of 'Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat' grows stronger day by day in the campus of Aligarh Muslim University. Modi said that the diversity which could be seen in AMU is not only the strength of this university but also of the entire nation.
Modi said that in the last 100 years, AMU has also worked to strengthen India's relations with many countries of the world.
Addressing Centenary celebrations of Aligarh Muslim University via video conferencing, PM Modi further stated that, the history of education attached to AMU is India's valuable heritage. He said that he often met AMU alumni during his foreign visits, who very proudly say that they've studied from AMU.
Taking about the achievements of his government Modi said, "The plans that the country is making today are reaching every section without distinction of religion." Bank accounts of over 40 crore poor people were opened without any discrimination. More than two crore poor were provided pucca houses and more than 8 crore women received gas connections.
Modi in his statement said that the country is marching forward on the path where every citizen would get the benefits of development happening in the country without any discrimination. The country is on the path where every citizen should be rest assured about their constitutional rights and their future.
PM Narendra Modi stated that the school dropout rate among Muslim girls was more than 70% and this situation persisted for 70 years. But after the government started the Swachh Bharat Mission and built toilets in villages and toilets for school-going girls, this rate has fallen to nearly 30%.
Earlier, after news of students protests did the rounds, the university students announced not to oppose PM Modi's address. Actually, the controversy started regarding PM Modi's address. It was being said that some students and teachers could demonstrate during Modi's address.
The Aligarh Muslim University has a campus spread over 467.6 hectares of land in the city of Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. It also has three off-campus centres in Malappuram (Kerala), Murshidabad-Jangipur (West Bengal) and Kishanganj (Bihar).
