Bisheshwar Mishra / AMN /
New Delhi: Almost the entire opposition members in Rajya Sabha today trooped into the well of the House over the alleged central government interference with the autonomy of Aligarh Muslim University, forcing the House to be adjourned.
The matter was raised during zero hour by Samajwadi Party member Javed Ali Khan, who said that the Union HRD ministry had discontinued the expansion project of five branches of AMU to be set up in different parts of the country. He said this decision was taken by the previous union government following the Sachar Committee report to boost the educational prospects of the minority community whose socio-economic status was found to be even weaker than the Dalits of the country.
Khan alleged that “this decision which was lawfully taken, was illegally being turned down by the present government.” He further alleged that government had also questioned the minority status of AMU. He further said that according to AMU vice chancellor, the decision to stop funding of this project was taken by HRD Minister Smriti Irani.
From the government side, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi tried to argue that this issue was pending before the court and since it was subjudice it could not be addressed here. Nevertheless, he insisted that government was committed to protecting the minority status of AMU.” He insisted that everyone should abide by the decision of the court. The SP leaders expressed their dissatisfaction with government’s reply and they were vociferously joined in by many senior opposition party leaders like JDU’s Sharad Yadav, Congress party’s Anand Sharma and Digvijay Singh and CPM and CPI leaders Sitaram Yechuri and D Raja.
Digvijay Singh pointed out that in the matter before the court the government had withdrawn the affidavit filed by the previous government and had filed a new affidavit pertaining to the case.” At this point some SP members began to move into the well.
Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asked members to return to their seats and give notice if they wanted a discussion on the issue but as none relented, he adjourned the House till noon.
Khan alleged that the HRD minister threated to stop financial aid to the proposed offsite centres of AMU. That this was illegal as the 
University’s Executive Committee and Academic Council, drawing rights from Section 12 of AMU Act, in 2008 had decided to set up five off campus centres. Three of them were made operational, he said adding the BJP government has now questioned that decision, Khan said.
He said AMU Vice Chancellor has in a statement said that HRD Minister was declaring these centres illegal and threatening to stop assistance.
“They talk of ‘sab ka saath, sab ka vikas’ but want to deprive a large section of population of education,” he said demanding a clarification from the government on the minority status of AMU and other such insitutions.
Intervening for the government Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the government is committed to protecting minority status of AMU and other minority institutions.
The AMU matter is in court and everyone should abide by whatever the judicial verdict, he said.
Not convinced with the answer, Sharad Yadav (JD-U) and Digvijayaa Singh (Cong) joined Khan saying the BJP government withdrew an affadivit given by the previous UPA government and submitted a new one in the Supreme Court, leading to the present situation.
Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) wanted the government to explain the new affadivit, while Anand Sharma (Cong) wanted an explanation as to why it changed the affadavit. “Why are you targeting minority institutions,” he asked.
Yechury said the issue was serious and had the potential of creating very big communal polarisation.
This was again loudly supported by most in the opposition members. The deputy chairman PJ Kurian tried to control the house and take up the next zero hour issue. The opposition members insisted that the minister had mislead the house. “If he has mislead the House, you invoke the rules and point it out. I can’t do anything more than that. You give a notice if you wish to raise this issue separately.”
At this point drawing the attention of the chair, Sitaram Yechuri said “chairman sir! this is a very serious matter. What the government is doing is sharpening the communal polarisation in the country.’’
Meanwhile the Samajwadi Party leaders trooped into the House and started shouting slogans, “bhed-bhav band karo….(stop discrimination…). The deputy chairman, however continued to take up other zero hour issues. But slowly when all opposition party members joined the protesting SP leaders, he adjourned the House till 12 noon.