Aligarh, Oct 19 (IANS): Following the President's nod to initiate an inquiry against Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Vice Chancellor Zameeruddin Shah, the university's teachers' association on Tuesday urged the government to ask Shah to proceed on leave till the conclusion of the inquiry.

"We welcome the move of the government of India to institute an enquiry into the affairs of the university as a result of our long-standing demand," the Aligarh Muslim University Teachers' Association (AMUTA) Honorary Secretary S.M. Zaidi said here after AMUTA's Executive Committee meeting.

The Executive Committee has 11 members and eight members attended the meeting on Tuesday.

Zaidi said that some of the teachers had been demanding an inquiry into "questionable appointments, wilful awarding of contracts, irregularities in admissions, violence and murders on campus" and all other related issues.

"We request that as a first step the powers of the Vice Chancellor and Pro Vice Chancellor should be ceased forthwith and they should be asked to proceed on leave," Zaidi said.

"This is necessary so that they are not able to influence and pressurise the potential witnesses and thus the process of the inquiry, through irregular appointments, promotions, awarding of benefits, etc., as well as through threats of punitive actions and illegal gratifications," he added.

President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday ordered an inquiry into the allegations of financial, administrative and academic irregularities against Shah.

The AMUTA also condemned the filing of defamation cases by the AMU administration in local courts against Professor Nandita Narain, President of Federation of Central University Teachers Associations (FEDCUTA) and Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA), as well as against Professor Badshah Alam, Treasurer of FEDCUTA.

Zaidi said that a General Body Meeting of AMUTA would be convened on October 27 to discuss the future course of action.