Celebrated historian Irfan Habib delivered presidential remarks at the launch of Laurence Gautier’s Between Nation and Community at the Sir Syed Academy in AMU, Aligarh. The programme was organised by Sir Syed Academy and Aligarh Society of History and Archaeology.
Following is a transcription of his speech.
Dear members of the university and friends, I think I have a peculiar claim to be speaking here because I am perhaps one of the few people who, from infant class to M.A., remained wedded to Aligarh. And I really learnt about the spirit in Aligarh when I was playing in the infant class and the madam or headmistress came and said, ‘Oh, this is Professor Habib’s son, give him first position. He’s a professor.’
And the teacher, my class teacher ,was very shocked and said, ‘But madam, the Vice-Chancellor’s son is also in the class. The headmistress said, ‘Well, give him first and give this child second.’ So this is the spirit of Aligarh – it’s egalitarianism and love of education.
I learnt it there. So when I was there in Minto Circle and then AMU throughout, I loved Aligarh, but I’m not a necessarily admirer of it. And this is a very big difference.
At this moment, I think what is important for Aligarhians is how Aligarh was treated in 1947. I passed my high school in 1947. And as partition came near, and in fact, as August 14 and 15 passed, Aligarh was emptied of its staff, teachers, even employees, ordinary non-teaching employees.
They were going off to Pakistan. But I would say one thing in admiration. I never missed, there was never a case where a teacher wasn’t there to take our class.
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Full attendance was insisted on throughout 1947-48, when actually in my own first class, if I remember right, three teachers left for Pakistan who were taking my class. But the next day, someone was there to take us; no concession on attendance.
No vice-chancellor, but just habit. If one studies those three years, this is amazing. Despite the fact that the university was under such pressure, teaching went on.
And I think this is a very great achievement. I think similar things must have happened at Jamia, but I can only speak about my own first year, second year, third year, fourth year. They were all years in which Aligarh was denuded of its teaching staff. They went to Pakistan. And then the refugees came, sharnarthis, who practically formed one third of the body. And not a single incident occurred. They were all accommodated in hostels together.
So that particular time, one must remember, because now at the drop of a hat, classes are abandoned. You go to art faculty, no class is taking place. This is not only Aligarh University, but many universities. But this didn’t happen in 1947. We didn’t miss a single class. Some teacher was there. He would again next month go over to Pakistan, but there was another. I had perhaps an intermediate history.
At that time, one could take three subjects as now. And in history, there were three successive teachers in the same year. But classes happened. There was no class that was abandoned. That is the one thing that I remember particularly and in the conditions of today, if you go to arts faculty, most classrooms are closed or locked. Teachers are not taking their classes.
This didn’t happen in 1947, 1948 or 1949. Secondly, I think credit must go to the government of that time. They never even suggested distantly that India, that Aligarh, had had a Muslim League phase. They never suggested distantly that we had insulted Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. He came here and gave assurances.
The governor of Kerala is totally wrong in the version of the speech that he has given. That was invented in order to spoil his reputation. I was present in that meeting.
So, all credit must go to Nehru, Sardar Patel and Azad. Aligarh University was protected in 1947 by the Kumayun Regiment, sent by Patel as Home Minister. These things cannot be forgotten.
And then, of course, the local leadership. Not a single communal incident occurred in Aligarh during 1947-48. Amazing!
Malkan Singh and Congress leaders did an amazing job in protecting the university. So, these names will be forgotten, but I’m just mentioning it so that at least one remembrance is there. So, the university administration was under great pressure with practically no vice-chancellor, and treasurer being the vice-chancellor. It was only until Dr Zakir Hussain came and then he had to go to America and only returned because of medical reasons.
And I think it was only in 1949 or 1950 that he really took charge. Over all this period, teaching continued, even when the number of students was reduced to 900. There was a time when only 900 were there.
The university had a financial problem, but by the University Act of 1951, government took up the entire responsibility. These things are to be remembered today. If the government simply had said, ‘Well, we are neither destroying Aligarh nor supporting Aligarh, we are neutral.’ Aligarh would have gone.
There was no money. So, remember the AMU Act, and even before that, through Ashfaq Committee, the government took up the entire financial responsibility of this university. So, today, as we remember those days, I think we should be grateful to all those who helped us and made Aligarh survive.
Thank you.
Irfan Habib is a historian of ancient and medieval India.
Transcribed by Manya Singh.
