New Delhi: Attacking the Centre over questioning the minority status of Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Milia, K. C. Tyagi JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP on Saturday accused the government of being adamant to gag the freedom of minority institutions.
“The government is hell bent to gag the freedom of the minority institutions in the country. This move of the government is a conspiracy against the minorities,” he said.
Stating that AMU and Jamia were established before the Constitution came into existence, Tyagi told ANI that the government’s decision to ‘strip the minority status of the Universities is a conspiracy against the minorities’.
Tyagi also said that he, along with other MPs, would launch a signature campaign and approach President Pranab Mukherjee on the government’s decision.
“We would also raise the matter in Parliament in the Budget Session,” he added.
MP from eight parties had yesterday issued a joint statement, condemning the Central Government’s questioning the minority status of AMU and Jamia Milia Universities.
“We strongly condemn, and express our displeasure and deep concern over the nasty move by the Central Government to strip off the minority status from Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Milia Islamia,” said the statement.
However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) brushed aside criticism of the Centre’s stand on Aligarh Muslim University, saying the government was only performing its constitutional duties in maintaining that it was not a minority institution and that in court it was only reiterating a stand taken by previous governments. (ANI)