By TCN News,
Aligarh: “Protection of minority rights is no longer viewed as a virtue but it is seen as a political necessity that strengthens modern plural society” said Justice M. S. A. Siddiqui, Chairman National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI), Government of India. He was addressing a national seminar on Minority Rights: “Vision and Reality” organized by the Department of Political Science, Aligarh Muslim University on 14t November.
Mr. Siddiqui said that the article 30 assures special rights to the minorities which is absolute and can be regulated only on two counts. First it has to be reasonable and second the interest of minority must be kept in mind. “Indian Muslims have been given full right to establish and run their academic institutions. The Commission is committed to protect the minority rights duly granted by the Constitution of India. Using its adjudicatory powers, the Commission has declared Jamia Millia Islamia a minority institution” he added. He pointed out that the salvation of Muslims lies in modern education and they must adopt information technology.
Justice Siddiqui addressing the Seminar while L-R: Prof. Mustafa, PK Abdul Azis and Syed Shahabuddin
Speaking at the seminar, Syed Shahabuddin, President of All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, said that Muslims should strengthen their relationship with the majority community and draw their attention towards their social, educational and political problems. He urged the government to ensure that the benefits of all minority schemes are made available to the minorities.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Faizan Mustafa, Vice Chancellor, National Law University Orissa, said that the democracy could only become fully functional if minorities are provided with special rights. He made it clear that the rights do not symbolize appeasement and instead are essential for the growth of pluralistic society. “The Indian Constitution grants special rights to minorities for fulfilling their cultural aspirations; by safeguarding the cultural and linguistic aspirations, the minorities can be actively associated in the process of nation making” he added. Maulana Fazlurrahim Mujaddadi, Rector, Jamiatul Hidaya, Jaipur, made a PowerPoint presentation and regretted that minorities are not being benefited by the welfare schemes of the central government.
In his presidential address, AMU Vice Chancellor Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis said that education is the key to empowerment and Muslim enjoined by the Quran must rigorously pursue the education. Emphasizing on minority character of AMU, he said: “No one can doubt the minority character of the Aligarh Muslim University as it fulfils all conditions of a minority institution.”