New Delhi: The All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, the apex body of Indian Muslims & Confederation of 18 prominent Muslim Organisations, has condemned the attempts being made to compromise the minority status of Jamia Millia Islamia after the Centre filed an affidavit in the Delhi High Court opposing the order of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions that had declared Jamia Millia Islamia a religious minority institution.
“Such attempts not only totally negate but also exposed the hollowness of the avowed slogan of the Government led by PM Narendra Modi that there should be ‘sab ka saath sab ka vikas’,” said Navaid Hamid, President, AIMMM.
“What is more surprising, as is evident from the order dated 13.3.2018, that NO COUNSEL advocate appeared for and on behalf of the Jamia Millia Islamia to espouse the cause of its minority status resulting an adverse order being so passed. Such negligence, whether motivated or coincidental, is seriously culpable that an issue of paramount importance relating to a Muslim minority institution was dealt with so casually,” he added.
AIMMM has demanded an immediate explanation as to how the failure occurred on the part of the Jamia Millia Islamia officials including its Vice Chancellor and the registrar in failing to appear and pursue the matter.
“It is a known fact that the vice chancellor of the Jamia is to retire within a period of one year, and he may be exploiting such opportunities to please the ruling party in power to secure future plump postings at the expense of the future of the Muslim community,” AIMMM said.
Apprehending that the cause of Jamia Millia Islamia may be unceremoniously compromised by vested elements, AIMMM has decided to intervene in the matter for the larger good of the education of Muslims and also for safeguarding the minority character of Jamia Millia Islamia.
Importantly, the Attorney General of India, Mukul Rohatgi had advised the HRD Ministry, then under Smriti Irani, last year that it was entitled to change its view in court and revert to the stand that JMI is not a minority institution and respecting the ruling of NCMEI was not in accordance with the law.
According to the students in Jamia Millia Islamia, the withdrawal of minority status will have a potential backlash and students will take to the streets if the government tries to impinge upon the university minority character.
“The BJP government is known for its anti-Muslim stand and time and again they have been targeting minority institutions. Jamia Millia Islamia is one of the only two higher learning seats for Muslims in Northern India (the other being Aligarh Muslim University) and snatching minority status will lead to downfall of the confidence of Muslim students and negatively impact the growth of Muslims,” said Ateeb Maaz Khan, National Joint secretary, Muslim Student Federation and student at Jamia Millia Islamia.
He added that students would be forced to come on roads and protest if the government moves ahead with its plans of withdrawing the university minority status.
Another student activist, Khusbhu Khan from Jamia said, “Tinkering with minority status is like robbing the community of its valuables and we won’t stay silent on it. It is their attempt to Hindutva-ise the university, as any such attempt is not possible until it remains a Muslim-majority university.”
“It is the minority quota of Jamia which ensures that Muslim students get a chance to study in this prestigious university. Most of the students coming from our community either have done their basic schooling from Islamic seminaries or schools back in villages which reduces their chances of competing with students coming from relatively good schools and colleges,” said Sameen Saifi, who is doing her degree from Department of Education, JMI.
Recognising Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) as a minority institution, the university administration had in May 2011 issued a circular, implementing the 50% reservation to Muslim students for admissions in all courses of the university. Only 42% seats were open for the general category students. If the minority status of the university is withdrawn, the Muslim quota will automatically be discarded and reservation for SC/ST and OBC will be applied as followed in other central universities.