Centre’s Opposition to minority status mala fide, Aligarh Muslim University tells Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: Aligarh Muslim University on Tuesday dubbed the Modi government’s opposition to its minority status “mala fide”, based on “political considerations” and urged the Supreme Court not to allow the government to take away the only “Muslim” institution in the country from the community.

In an affidavit filed in the top court, the AMU contested the executive government’s right to oppose the earlier government’s admission that AMU was indeed a minority institution in a court case when Parliament had by legislation conceded such status to the university.

“While the majority community have hundreds of institutions, Union of India should not try to take over even the single institution from the minority,” the University said. The erstwhile UPA government had in fact challenged in the top court a High Court verdict denying the varsity’s minority character.

But the Modi government has conveyed to the top court its desire to withdraw that appeal soon after coming to power and strongly opposed its minority character. “… the decision taken after change of government at the Centre by the present NDA government led by a member of the BJP does not appear to be a sound decision based on cogent and valid reasons, but one based on political considerations…,” the AMU affidavit said.

“… a decision taken at the governmental level will not be nullified by a change of government by another political party assuming power, particularly when such a decision affects the interest of the nation as a whole. The AMU is the oldest Muslim University in the country. Its minority character means a lot for all Muslims,” it said. The Union’s stand was based on a number of misconceptions, the university contended. One was the fact that religious education was compulsory in such institutions when it was only optional.

The university also clarified that minority status did not mean that all students would be Muslims. In fact, 50% seats go students of other communities to ensure that the meritorious also find a place in the institution. Only 50% is set aside for the minority community administering the institution, it said.