By Md. Ali, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: “Establishment of educational Centers of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) outside Aligarh, is a ploy to destroy its minority character”, Mohammad Adeeb, president All India Minority Co-Ordination Board and also a Rajya Sabha MP, said today in a press conference here at the Constitutional Club.
Talking to TwoCircles.net, he explained his point further, “see, we want AMU to be a minority educational institute, where Muslims get 50 percent reservation. Our main point is, that every thing about these educational centers outside Aligarh prove, that these have been started with the purpose of diluting and destroying the minority character of this historic educational institute. For instance, elimination of 50% reservation for Muslims in these educational centers is the beginning of that conspiracy. Therefore we are completely against these educational centers outside AMU.”
(L-R) Mohammad Adeeb, Member of Rajya Sabha, Hamid Ansari, Vice President, Dr Omar Khalidi, Ataur Rahman Qasmi of Shah Waliullah Institute, at a recent book release [TCN photo]
Another problem with these educational centers, Mr. Adeeb explained, these educational centers are on the land provided by the respective states, unlike the three proposed Muslim universities, which will be on Waqf land, something because of which Muslims can claim minority status for these institutes and thereby can get reservation also in those universities. But the fact, that these open campuses are on state land and are fully funded by center, ensures that Muslims can never make any claim on these institutes.
His third argument was that, the minority status of AMU has already been challenged in court. Doing some thing as radical as opening new campuses of AMU outside, which can radically alter its minority fabric, should better be avoided, as it will complicate the matter further.
In January this year, the Allahabad High Court had taken the minority tag from the university and also termed the provision of giving 50% reservation to the Muslims, as “unconstitutional”, although the SC later stayed the HC’s verdict and the matter is still in SC.
There was a theoretical and some what legal twist to his argument also. According to this two time president of AMU Students Union, the preamble of AMU 1920 Act, says that “Aligarh is a residential university, established in Aligarh, with affiliation rights within 15 miles from the University Mosque…” So taking the University outside Aligarh violates the constitution of the university, he said.
He argued that if the government is serious about education among Indian Muslims, then it can open new universities. According to him “opening these good for nothing “Open Campuses” will and has, already diverted the government focus from opening three new Muslim universities at Kishanganj (Bihar), Ajmer (Rajasthan) and Bangalore (Karnataka).
So according to him, taking the university campus outside Aligarh, without its minority character doesn’t make any sense. He said he is not against the idea of new educational centers and universities, but what will be the benefit to Muslims who are educationally and socially backward, if these institutions are without their minority character.
Mr. Adeeb also demanded immediate removal of, Prof. PK Abdul Azis, the present VC of AMU because he doesn’t have any moral and legal authority to remain on that post.
According to him, the Accountant General of Uttar Pradesh has presented 9 cases of financial irregularities in which Mr. Aziz has been found to be personally involved. Besides a presidential enquiry is also going on against the Mr. Aziz, from which, Mr. Adeeb alleged, Mr. Aziz has continuously been buying time through his lawyer.
Expressing strong disapproval of Mr. Azeez’s style of working, Mr. Adeeb said that the present VC of AMU is not only, a thoroughly corrupt person but he has also taken the AMU to low levels from where it would be very difficult to take the university back. The educational excellence and over all reputation of the university have been completely degraded, he said.
Proposed site for AMU campus in Kishanganj [TCN Photo]
“I can prove that there has not been any development in the university during the tenure of this VC. Neither any new department nor any new course, has been introduced in the university.”
If any development has happened then it was the derecognition of the University Tibbiya College, which at one point in time used to a historically reputed institute. Besides the condition of Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College of AMU has become so bad that Mr. Gulam Nabi Azad, the union health minister termed it as the “the worst medical college he has ever seen.”
Mr Adeeb pointed out that during this VC’s tenure till now more than hundred students have been rusticated, that too on filmsy and trivial ground; some thing which has been unprecedented in the history of AMU. No lab has been developed on the standards of UGC; it’s just that on the name of extra security crores of Rupees are being spent on CCTV cameras.
Md. Ilyas Malik, vice-president, All India Minority Co-Ordination Board, also addressed the media. Raising the issue of minority status to Jamia Millia Islamia, he said that “if Khalsa and St. Stephens colleges can be minority institutes, then why can’t be Jamia Millia Islamia?
Talking to this correspondent, he said “all we want from this UPA government is, that it should turn JMI into a minority institute by an executive order, the way the NDA government had turned Jamia Hamdard into a minority institute.”
He said that on the one hand this government is talking about bring Muslims into mainstream and on the other hand, quite ironically it’s also doing almost nothing to ensure minority status to Muslim institution which could ensure more and more entry of Muslim youngsters into these educational institutes.
He explained that the article 30, clause-1 of the Constitution clearly says that, only those educational institutions can be given minority status which have been founded and administered by minorities. So a general institute can not be turned into a minority one and vice versa.
“So I simply don’t understand what has stopped this government, from giving minority status to JMI which was both founded and which is again being administered by Muslims themselves”, he wondered.