TIA NEWS /
Adding fuel to the fire to the controversy over Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), minority charatcter, Union Human Resource and Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani today said that government was not in favour of its such status for the institution. Backing the Centre’s stand she said: “government’s stand is not contrary to the act of Parliament”.
Talkning to media in Amethi she said : “The Government of India is taking a stand and this stand is not contrary to act of Parliament, it is not contrary to the stand taken by previous UPA government.”
Refraining to comment on a sub-judice matter, Irani said the universities have been established in the country by an active Parliament.
Irani further said that the establishment of a university by an active Parliament is secular in nature. “But under the reservation act, it also secures the Rights of Dalit, OBC, SC and ST children,” she added.
The issue of restoration of minority character of AMU is at present pending with the Supreme Court but what has triggered off the protests is the Centre’s recent decision to reverse the UPA regime’s stand of supporting the university in the apex court on this issue.
On January 11, Attorney Journal Mukul Rohatagi, during the hearing of this case, had told the court that the NDA government did not support the idea of a state-funded minority institution in a secular state, sparking off a controversy.
Meanwhile AMU, vice-chancellor Lt General (retd.) Zameeruddin Shah has called upon the Muslim community not to get unduly exercised on the issue and have “full faith” in judiciary.
In a written appeal today, Shah said that while all right minded citizens of the country were rightly concerned about the issue of restoration of minority character of the historic institution of higher learning, “we should have full faith in our judicial system for protecting minority rights”.
Shah’s appeal came in the wake of a number of protests by minority groups on the campus and also at other places.