By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
New Delhi: Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has been a minority institution since its establishment, and will remain so, said Prof Akhtarul Wasey of JMI.
Talking about the minority character of JMI, Prof Wasey, who is director of Dr. Zakir Husain Institute of Islamic Studies, said considering the objectives behind establishing this institution, no honest person can oppose according minority character to it. He, however, admitted that restoration of the minority character of JMI is a big challenge, not insurmountable.
He urged Congress president and the ruling alliance UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh to take up the issue and ensure minority character of JMI.
Prof Wasey said keeping the basic aims of establishing JMI in view, granting minority status to it is a due and this will not be any extra consideration for minorities, rather it is the demand of justice. Talking about the past efforts made in this regard, he said two JMI vice-chancellors recommended grant of minority character on two occasions, which proves that the issue of the minority character is attached with the real spirit of JMI.
Prof Wasey said the responsibility of preserving the dignity of JMI falls on both the Government of India and the Islamic Millat. Therefore, we can say that the Government of India should show some initiative for preserving the identity of JMI and the leading personages of Islamic Millat should draw government’s attention toward it.
Ex-president of JMI students union Shams Parvez said once minority character of JMI gets restored, Supreme Court verdict (on OBC reservation) will not apply to it because it has excluded minority institutions. He said in 1988, when JMI was accorded the status of a central university, its minority character started getting diluted after regularization of 25% quota for internal students. He alleged that the present JMI administration does not seem to have any interest in the minority character of JMI.
In a sign that the demand for the restoration of the minority character of JMI is gathering momentum, Jamia Teachers’ Association, Jamia Old Boys Association and Jamia Millia Students Union filed a case for restoration of minority character of JMI in March 2006 with the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions. The petition will be heard on April 16, 2008. General secretary of Jamia Teachers’ Association Tabrez Alam Khan says, “Minority character is fundamental right of JMI and we have full confidence that it will be restored.”