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 THE ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN MUSLIMS OF AMERICA
Aligarh university: A Biased Judge Challenges Muslims
Washington DC, 7 October
2005: As the holy month of Ramadan begins and Muslims worldwide begin a month in which they seek forgiveness from their Creator and
pledge that they will refrain from bad deeds, a piece of bad news has come from India.
A judge of the UP High court (Justice Arun Tandon), encumbered with
Hindutva leaning, has promulgated that the Indian Parliament Act designating Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Aligarh, as a
minority institution is unconstitutional. He has also promulgated that 50% reservation for Muslims at AMU is illegal.
AMU was established in Aligarh as the Anglo Mohammadan Oriental College in
1875. Gradually this college became the pride educational institution of the Indian Muslim community. In 1930 the then British Indian govt elevated AMU to the status of a University. AMU continued to grow and became one of India's premier universities. Muslims from all parts of India, from Assam to NWFP, from Kashmir to Kerala sent their children to study at AMU.
After 1947 when the situation of Muslims in India became very dim and despair became commonplace in the community, AMU remained the beacon of hope for the battered Indian Muslim community. The average Indian Muslim youth who were not competitive with others due to not having studied in English medium high schools since their economically depressed families could not afford that expensive education , could still pursue meaningful higher education at AMU. They could become engineers, doctors, scientists, accountants, academics, teachers, lawyers and other professionals and get decent jobs to support their families. A large number of them did exactly that. Today they are found in respectable positions all over the globe.
However you cut the muster, 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. The Muslims of India will never let the enemies of the Muslim community snatch AMU from their hands. They saw how by deception, chicanery, and coercion Osmania University, Hyderabad - a university built by the Muslims - was taken away from them.
Association of Indian Muslims of America (AIM) echoes the sentiments of Indian Muslims towards AMU, wherever they may live. AIM has begun a campaign of advocacy against the perfidious judgement of
the said judge. The first phase of the AIM campaign consists of sending lots of letters to the President, Prime Minister and Chief Justice of India, from Muslims all over the world, appealing that the awful ruling of this judge be annulled. We appeal to all to join this campaign.
In solidarity and imaan.
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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