LUCKNOW, Feb. 23 -- Students of Lucknow University (LU) gathered on campus on Sunday to protest the alleged illegal construction of fencing around Lal Baradari, a heritage monument within the university premises protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). They demanded that the university clarify whether it obtained the required ASI clearance before carrying out the work. The protest, led by members of the Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha and the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), also raised concerns about access for Muslim students and community members who offer prayers at a mosque, claimed to have been built inside the 200-year-old Lal Baradari, during Ramzan. "The gate where our Muslim brothers come to offer prayers has been locked and sealed. The religious beliefs of students are being violated, which is against the spirit of the Constitution and democracy," said Vishal Singh of NSUI. Protester Prem Prakash Yadav alleged that the new construction and fencing around the monument was closing it from all sides, leaving the Muslim community with no place to offer prayers. The Lucknow University administration, however, said the Lal Baradari building is damaged and unsafe, and that entry and other activities have been prohibited. A hoarding bearing the name of Registrar Bhavana Mishra states the same. The registrar also wrote to the Hasanganj police station in charge, requesting police deployment near Lal Baradari on February 20 to prevent any untoward incident. In a separate letter to the superintendent of the university's works department, she cited the building's dilapidated condition and directed authorities to carry out cleaning and install fencing around it on orders of Vice Chancellor Prof JP Saini....