Amidst the row over the presence of Muhammad Ali Jinnah's portrait in the student's union office of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), the national head of All-India Muslim Mahasangh on Friday announced a reward of Rs 1 Lakh for destroying Jinnah's posters.

Speaking to ANI, Farhat Ali Khan said that no organisation in Pakistan must be having photos of Indian leaders who fought for independence, and the vice versa should be followed in India.

"I appeal everyone to tear and burn down posters of Jinnah and people like him. I announce a reward of Rs 1 Lakh cash for the one who burns down the poster," Khan said.

The Muslim Mahasangh chief further stated that Muslims in India hate both Jinnah and Pakistan.

Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Aligarh MP Satish Gautam was the first to question the portrait's presence in the office, which has been there for decades.

The matter soon escalated as protests took place outside the university campus, followed by clashes between AMU students and the police, on Thursday.

On Friday, Section 144 of the CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) was imposed in Aligarh and internet services were suspended to prevent the communal flare-up.

The internet services in Aligarh will remain suspended till 12:00 am (06 May 2018).

Tension prevailed at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) as thousands of students continued their protests at the AMU's main gate – Baab-e-Sayyad – demanding judicial inquiry against members of right-wing groups who entered the campus and clashed with them on Wednesday. Twenty-eight students were injured after police resorted to lathi-charge. Students from Jamia Millia Islamia, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Allahabad University joined the protests on Friday.

The administration, meanwhile, tried to bring the tempers down and the Vice Chancellor (VC) Tariq Mansoor, who was out of the public site as of now, visited injured students at the hospital and those agitating at Baab-e-Sayyed. Members of several right-wing groups including Yogi Adityanath's Hindu Yuva Vahini had barged in the campus to remove the portrait of Mohammad Ali Jinnah on Wednesday.

Sources said that the AMU administration has contacted the Union Human Resource Development Minsitry and demanded a judicial inquiry in the matter. However, when asked about the present stance of the University on Jinnah's portrait, AMU PRO Omar Peerzada said, "It's a part of AMU's history. And, whether good or bad, History cannot be erased." As per AMU's tradition, the University's student union grants honorary memberships to prominent people in the field of politics, social or educational work. And, pictures of all these members, including Jinnah are present on the walls of its office.

(With ANI inputs)