Debate Rekindles Over AMU's Minority Status

A private member bill has been introduced by Ramjilal Suman in the Rajya Sabha to restore the minority status of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). The status, granted in 1981, was annulled by the Allahabad High Court in 2005, leading to ongoing debates and political maneuvering.

In a move reigniting historical debate, Samajwadi Party's Rajya Sabha member Ramjilal Suman has submitted a private member bill aiming to restore Aligarh Muslim University's (AMU) minority status. Initially granted by an act of Parliament in December 1981, this status was struck down by the Allahabad High Court in 2005.

The court's decision was based on a 1967 Supreme Court ruling that the university was not a minority institution. Suman's bill—The Aligarh Muslim University (Restoration of Minority Character) Bill, 2024—has been introduced in response to the current government's opposition to AMU's minority character.

The bill's statement of objects and reasons highlights that AMU was established primarily for the benefit of the Muslim community. Despite previous promises, successive governments have eroded the university's significant features, including its minority character, autonomy, and democratic functioning.

(With inputs from agencies.)