Mumtaz Alam, IndiaTomorrow.net,
New Delhi, Feb 10: Following indication from the central BJP government not to support the legally challenged minority status of Aligarh Muslim University, besides Muslim leaders, eminent personalities from other communities and political parties have also come out in support of the 19th century institution established by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.
Recently, former Union Minister and Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar has strongly supported the minority status of AMU. While speaking at a national seminar on “Educational Rights of Minorities – A Litmus Test For Justice” at the Indian Law Institute here last week, Aiyar said that the idea of India demands that AMU should remain a minority institution.
“The principle of establishment of India is that we would maintain diversity because if we didn’t maintain diversity then we won’t be able to maintain our unity…Until and unless each and every minority, I would rather say, every individual is allowed to preserve his identity and heritage and culture we won’t keep this country one and united,” said former diplomat Aiyar while speaking at the program organised by Welfare Party of India.
“When it comes to minority issue, I do not know if I am from minority or majority because I was born in Lahore and I am perhaps the only Tamil Brahmin who has migrated to India for shelter. Will you remove my identity to make me citizen of this country,” he asked and further said: “A Tamil Brahmin refugee has also a particular identity and he should have his own identity in India. If we do not allow and maintain identity of 15 crore Muslims then we will land in the same situation where Pakistan is today.”
“After Indonesia, India has the largest Muslim population in the world. Today, you can’t imagine Islam without India and you can’t imagine India without Islam. The importance of this big community is very high in nation building. When Sanghis have no objection in giving Banaras University the name of Banaras Hindu University then why do they object to the name of Aligarh Muslim University? AMU has a history and Sanghis are well aware of the history but they deliberately ask you to delete that history — that Sir Syed Ahmed Khan established it. He was supporter of modern education for Muslims to go ahead while carrying Islamic education. He wanted that Muslim heritage and civilisation are maintained and modern education is availed for Muslims to move forward in the modern world. It is not that only Muslim students have studied at AMU since the beginning. In fact, students from different social and religious backgrounds have studied here,” said Aiyar.
Commenting on the argument that as AMU was accorded status of university through an act of Parliament it cannot be a minority institution, Congress leader said: “If we wanted to delete its own identity then why did the parliament while making it a university carry its original name of Aligarh Muslim University. There are many universities, like Kashmir University, Pondicherry University and Madras University. There is no such tag. Because it was already Muslim University at least since 1920 and because it was established for modern education of Muslims, the same parliament which established it gave it the name of Aligarh Muslim University.”
“Some say the word Muslim should remain but the varsity should not be special for minority. How can it be possible? If it is not special for minority then why did parliament give it the name of Aligarh Muslim University? And the same parliament decided that Banaras University would be Banaras Hindu University because Madan Mohan Malviya had given it this name,” said Aiyar.
Speaking at the seminar, senior journalist and Christian leader Dr John Dayal talked about the history of litigation against minority status of minority education institutions including those run by the Christian community.
Courts have not been fair with issues of minority educational institutions, said Dr Dayal. “This is my personal experience with St Xavier’s and St Stephen’s.”
“There has been antagonistic and friendly relation between courts and minority institutions. The attitude of Karnataka courts with Christian education institutions has been different at different times. Sometimes, they say you are minority institution and so can’t reserve more than 50% seats and sometimes they say you are unable to fill the 50% quota so we will reconsider your minority institution,” said Dayal.
He also opposed the recent moves in Chhattisgarh to impose Hindu culture on Christian institutions.
While supporting AMU’s minority character he said: “We support minority status of AMU. AMU should remain minority institution. It is symbolically a pride for Muslims. There are Guru Nanak University and also Banaras Hindu University and you can find imprint of religion there.”
Earlier the seminar was inaugurated by Welfare Party president Dr SQR Ilyas.
