Uttar Pradesh police have registered an FIR against four students of Aligarh Muslim University for taking out a procession on campus in support of Palestine in the war against Israel.

Azhar Hasan, the in-charge of the Medical Police Outpost, said on Wednesday: “The students had taken out a rally on Sunday night and raised slogans that could disturb social harmony. I registered a complaint and the case was filed today. We are in possession of a video of the rally and have identified the students who were present.”

“The students marched without having formal permission from the university administration. We are taking a legal view on the matter before taking further action against the students,” said Mrigank Shekhar Pathak, the superintendent of police of Aligarh city.

Carrying placards with “Support Palestine” written on them, the students had organised the procession from Dak Point to Bab-e-Sayd Gate on the campus. Those named in the FIR are postgraduate students Naved Chaudhary, Mohammad Kamran, Mohammad Khalid and Mohammad Atif.

They have been booked for creating hatred between different groups (IPC Section 153A), breach of peace (IPC 505) and disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant (IPC 188).

Hamza Jamshed, a student leader of AMU, said: “AMU is located in a democratic country where we have the right to have ideological leanings and faith. The procession was not meant for any religion but was in the interest of democratic norms. You cannot suppress the voice of the students as it would amount to the suppression of the future.”

Tahir Hussain, an undergraduate student, said: “Palestine is a victim of America. Raising our voice for a genuine cause is our right. We don’t care if the police and the government turn vindictive against us without knowing the history of the creation of Israel.”

S. Nawaz Zaidi, the AMU proctor, said four students had been “booked for organising a procession in support of Palestine. We are keeping a watch on the development.”

Reacting to the police case on the students, Samajwadi Party MP from Sambhal Shafiq-ur-Rahman Barq told reporters in Moradabad: “The present (BJP) dispensation doesn’t like AMU because it is one of the best universities in the world. The students took out a procession to express their views and didn’t go to Gaza.”

Asim Arun, Uttar Pradesh minister of state for social welfare, said “those who support Hamas, a terrorist organisation, must not be spared”.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared India’s support to Israel and every Indian must follow it. I have written to the university administration to take action against
the students,” said Satish Kumar Gautam, the BJP MP of Aligarh.