Historic Supreme Court Verdict Upholds Minority Status of Aligarh Muslim University

The Supreme Court of India has overruled a 1967 verdict challenging Aligarh Muslim University's minority status, upholding the right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions. AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi praised the decision, emphasizing the significance for India's Muslim community and calling for fair government support.

In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court of India has overturned its 1967 verdict, reaffirming the minority status of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). This historic decision, applauded by AIMIM chief and Lok Sabha MP Assaduddin Owaisi, marks a significant victory for the rights of minority communities in India to self-administer their educational institutions.

Owaisi congratulated AMU's students and faculty, highlighting the rejection of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led union government's arguments in court. He emphasized that the court's verdict protects the educational rights of minorities, regardless of the university's establishment timeline. Owaisi urged the BJP to embrace this decision as a course correction in its approach toward minority educational institutions.

The Supreme Court's 4:3 majority decision revisits the S Azeez Basha case, which in 1967 denied AMU its minority status. The bench clarified that an institution's minority status should be based on its establishment's origin. Owaisi further criticized the central government for its past stance on AMU and urged equal financial support for minority institutions like AMU and Jamia, compared to others like Banaras Hindu University.

(With inputs from agencies.)