By TCN News,
Riyadh: The alumni of Jamia Millia Islamia are in celebration mode after the university was granted minority status. As the news spread on 22nd Feb. after National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) granted minority status to the varsity, Jamiaets in different parts of Saudi Arabia started calling each other and exchanging congratulatory text messages on this historical moment.
In a landmark judgment the NCMEI declared Jamia a minority institution. “Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has always been a minority institution. We have no hesitation in saying that Jamia was founded by Muslims for the benefit of Muslims and it never lost its identity as a Muslim minority educational institution,” said MSA Siddiqui, chairperson of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) while declaring minority character of JMI.
Some 400 Jamia Alumni are staying in Riyadh and their Alumni Association is one of the most active expatriate associations of Saudi Arabia. Jamia Alumni Association, Riyadh had recently organized a seminar on issue of Jamia’s minority character in Riyadh. The Association had also launched “Save Jamia signature campaign” last month in support of the restoration of minority character of Jamia.
Murshid Kamal, President of the Alumni Association, who had also been the Vice- President of the Jamia Students Union during mid 90’s, had been very campaigning for Jamia’s minority character since his student days. Murshid said “I cannot control my emotions” as he chocked his words and tears rolled down his eyes. This is a happy moment for all of us. It is the outcome of years of struggle by the Jamia community. The souls of Jamia’s founders will be in peace today. Today, we are returning them a university which they had dreamed of. A real secular university for Muslim education free from external control is a reality today, he added. Murshid further said, “This is one of the rarest occasions and a genuine reason for Indian Muslims after independence to be happy about”.
Murshid also emphasized on the need of united community effort for the restoration of AMU’s minority character.