Preserve AMU's minority status and fund it's off-campuses, Muslim leaders demand.
Referring to the constitutional right of the minorities, Muslim organisations have urged steps to preserve the minority status and allocation of special packages for Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) from part of Union and State governments. Disappointed over the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s centennial address at AMU, former MP and ex-students' union president Mohammad Adeeb urged the funding of the three off campuses; Kishanganj, Khuldabad and Malappuram which are presently financially crumbling.
Syed Sadatullah Husain, Jamate Islami Hind (JIH) president asked the Union Government to shield firmly against the move to abolish the minority character of the AMU from time to time.
In a letter to the vice chancellor, Husain, congratulated AMU for the glorious completion of 100 years and wished it to be amongst the top ten universities of the world. Constitutional guarantee of the educational advancement of minorities and their cultural rights requires to be upheld. “The government should pay attention to the institutions with minority characters. The government should also shield firmly against any move, aimed at abolishing the minority character of the AMU," he said.
"The university has stayed true to its pluralistic culture and at the same time defends its cultural rights. The University deserves special packages from the central and state governments for its expansion and to scale up its research facilities. The minority status of AMU and its status as the bastion of Muslim culture needs careful nurturing and preservation,” the JIH chief pointed out.
Citing the financial troubles, being faced by the three AMU off-campus, Adeeb said campuses at Kishanganj, Khuldabad and Malappuram have been on the verge of collapse as the Centre stopped financial aid.
“Struggling to pay retirement dues, and with other financial liabilities, AMU's several off-campus are on a downhill. It was only a few days before the PM's visit, AMU Teachers Association had written to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking financial support," he pointed out. Adeeb further lamented the university got nothing good out of the PM's visit on the centenary celebration.