Rampur: The possession of Rampur Public School, which is run by a trust associated with Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, along with an office of the SP leader and another location used for party activities, was handed over to the Secondary Education Department on Friday, following a decision by the state cabinet, said an official.
Locks were placed on the two buildings in the presence of a heavy police force, including the Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Lalta Prasad Shakya and Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sansar Singh. The possession of both properties was handed over to the District Inspector of Schools (DIOS) and sealed, as per the senior official.
Notice to vacate building
On November 2, the District Inspector of Schools (DIOS) issued a notice to vacate the building occupied by Azam Khan's Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar Trust in Rampur.
Earlier on October 31, the Uttar Pradesh cabinet sanctioned a proposal to reclaim ownership of a lease of more than 41,000 square feet of land granted to the Muhammad Ali Jauhar Trust. The cabinet directed the transfer of this land to the Secondary Education Department of the state government.
The government has revoked ownership of the land based on a committee report citing violations of the lease agreement.
'It was Khan’s office'
Azam Khan, during his tenure as a minister in the SP government, was allocated the old Murtaza School building near Rampur Fort, which previously served as the office of the District Inspector of Schools (DIOS). The allotment to Muhammad Ali Jauhar Trust was at a nominal rate of Rs 100 per year.
Rampur Public School, managed by the trust associated with Samajwadi Party leader, operated in the building. Furthermore, Khan's office and the activities of the Rampur unit of the Samajwadi Party were also conducted from this location.
The administration took possession of both these buildings and handed them over to the DIOS, the official said.
Asim Raja opposes move
Asim Raja, the president of SP's Rampur city unit, expressed opposition to the action, claiming that his office is distinct from the school's premises. However, the local administration asserted that the SP office was considered part of the property.
ADM (Administration) Shakya stated that the 30-year lease that was previously granted has been revoked, and the education department has assumed control of the property.
Shakya said that according to the tehsil administration and municipality administration both the SP office and the school falls inside the 41,181 square feet area of the property. "We have the measurements of the joint team in which all this is mentioned clearly," he said.
The ASP mentioned that locks have been placed on both properties. He noted that there was no protest regarding the school land, but there were conflicting claims from SP workers and the education department, each asserting ownership.
SP leader Asim Raja, however, said that Rampur Public School building was vacated after the government's order and there was no protest. But the SP office was separate not part of the property and is a rented building, Raja said, adding that it was also forcibly occupied. "No one is ready to listen to us. This is oppression. What can we do?" he said.
UP Cabinet approves withdrawal of ownership of land lease
Citing the cabinet decision, the DIOS in his notice had directed that the building be vacated within seven days.
According to an official statement, the Uttar Pradesh cabinet on October 31 approved the withdrawal of ownership of over 41,000 sq ft of land leased to jailed SP leader Azam Khan's Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar Trust in Rampur and transferred it to the secondary education department of the state government.
The Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust had got 41,181 square feet of land on lease from the government in February 2007.
Under the aegis of Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Trust, the Muhammad Ali Jauhar University was established on the leased land and Khan served as its founder and chancellor. The university was inaugurated by the then chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on September 18, 2012.
The UP government statement said that the ownership of the land has been withdrawn in view of a report by a 4-member investigation committee formed to look into the "violation of the terms of the lease deed related to the land/building given to Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar Trust ''.
Azam Khan, his wife Tanzin Fatima and son Abdullah Azam are currently in jail after being convicted by a Rampur court in the fake birth certificate case.
(With PTI inputs)
