London Metropolitan University’s prospective alcohol ban on university grounds has left Muslim students feeling victimized and attacked.
In an open letter sent from the universities Islamic Society and Shia Muslim Society students deemed the Vice Chancellors proposal as “divisive” and “irresponsible”.
The letter sent to VC Malcolm Gillies was in response to his speech at the Association of University Administrators’ annual conference in Manchester on 3 April.
The letter said “Your comments clearly showed that the alcohol ban you proposed is based on gross generalisation about the views of Muslim students”.
Adding “Muslim students are being used as a scapegoat because it is deemed an easier way out.”
The students claim there has never been a demand for an alcohol ban on campus and to put the proposal forward as a religious case was “immoral” and “not acceptable”.
Prof. Gillies failed to consult the two Islamic groups and the Student Union before the announcement which has spread anger through the Muslim students who insist the ban was not proposed in favour of “cultural sensitivity”.
Syed Runman Vice President of the Student Union said “It begs the question how he came to the conclusion that Muslim students do not want alcohol at the university. In London Met, Muslims student make up 20% of the student body – an overwhelming majority of our students are non-Muslim. Even if all Muslim students at London Met want to see a ban on alcohol it will be undemocratic to impose the will of 20% on an 80% majority.”
Adding fuel to the fire Student President Claire Locke posted an open letter in conjunction with the Islamic Society and Shia Muslim Society, adding ‘a far right group like the English Defence League could use this story to fuel hate propaganda against the Muslim community”.
There is a fear amongst the London Metropolitan community that Prof. Gillies’ words will insight hostility from anti-Muslim groups and create a division between the student bodies.
The letter urges Prof. Gillies to retract his statements and apologies to the student body.
Imam Shafiullah Patel from Holloway Mosque said “I empathize with the students because they feel they are being generalised. What makes it worse is that no such argument was put forward from the Muslim community.”
“Islam is about democracy and respecting others beliefs and ways of life – if Muslim students opposed students drinking I doubt they would go to university in the first place”.
The university have denied any plans of an alcohol ban but have said that they are in “the later stages of consultation” to provide students with an unlicensed venue following a survey which “identified the needs of a social venue without a license.”
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