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 THE ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN MUSLIMS OF AMERICA
Memorandum to Indian President on Aligarh Muslim University
October 8, 2005
His Excellency Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
President of India
New Delhi, India
Subject: Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Aligarh, U.P.
Your Excellency President Dr Abdul Kalam,
The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) was initiated over a hundred thirty years ago as a movement for the renaissance of India's Muslims. It has fulfilled that mission brilliantly by becoming the intellectual center of India's Muslim community.
We are deeply concerned that recently a biased judge of UP High court (Justice Arun Tandon), encumbered with
Hindutva leaning, has promulgated that the Indian Parliament Acts (1920 and 1981) designating Aligarh Muslim University, as a minority institution are unconstitutional. This action of Justice Tandon is harmful not only to 150 million Muslims in India; it is also very harmful to the future well-being of the Indian nation.
AMU’s major objective was and is to impart secular rational values, liberal attitude and opposition to obscurantism. Though Its mission was to provide quality modern education to Muslims, it has also maintained its secular image in an impressive way.
Your Excellency, please allow us to mention here that one of your predecessors, President Zakir Husain Khan once said that" the way India conducts itself towards AMU will determine largely the form which our national life will acquire in future". Very few educational institutions in India have played a role comparable to that of AMU in the life of their communities. AMU has contributed so much in every walk of life of our motherland. Our above concern stems from the fact that the university gave us the skills, confidence, discipline, expertise, and binding force which defines an important aspect of our identity as Indians and Indian Muslims. It is important that AMU be preserved as a quality minority educational institution, so that its spirit of positive thinking continue to inspire future generations.
AMU was and is a Muslim university. For over 130 years the Muslims of India have nurtured AMU with their sweat, blood and aspirations. AMU represents their hopes for a bright future for the community and country.
Association of Indian Muslims of America (AIM) echoes the sentiments of Indian Muslims towards AMU, wherever they may live.
Your Excellency, we request you to take appropriate action to annul the above mentioned harmful judgement of Justice Arun Tandon of the U.P. High Court.
Sincerely Yours,
Kaleem Kawaja
President
THE ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN MUSLIMS OF AMERICA
PO Box 10654, Silver Spring, MD 20914 USA; Tel. ++1-410 730 5456;
Email: kawaja@worldnet.att.net «
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