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The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) has urged all Indian universities to cancel academic collaborations with institutions in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Turkey in the wake of the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians.
In a letter dated May 15, the AIU asked vice-chancellors across India to terminate all Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with institutions in these three countries. The AIU cited the support extended by Bangladesh and Turkey to Pakistan as the basis for the move. Speaking to ANI on Friday, AIU Secretary General Dr Pankaj Mittal said, "...Our Armed Forces are fighting on borders. We academicians also need to fight at the universities... Certain countries, like Bangladesh and Turkey, have supported Pakistan. So we wrote a letter on 15th May, to all universities and appealed to them to cancel all the MoUs they have with Bangladesh and Pakistan... There is no point in having academic ties with enemy countries... Several universities have cancelled their MoUs..." "We felt that we should fight for one admission in the place where we live, that is, in the universities," she said. She added that several universities had already acted on the AIU's request. "Kanpur University, JNU, Chandigarh University, LPU, Jamia Millia Islamia, MANUU Hyderabad, IIT Roorkee, and IIT Bombay -- many of them have already cancelled their MoUs or are in the process of doing so." She further stated that the AIU, which represents nearly 1,082 universities across the country, will continue its outreach to ensure Indian students are not influenced by countries with hostile intentions. "It is our appeal that whatever our enemy nations are, whatever countries are there with whom we have enmity... we don't have to make MoUs with them for not having harmony with them. We have to work with those where our children go and learn good things and do something for the country," she added. (ANI)
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