Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

AMU debate

The verdict of the Division Bench of the Allahabad High Court upholding the single-judge ruling of the same court quashing AMU's minority status and holding as unconstitutional 50 per cent reservation may be legally sound. However, it should not be forgotten that AMU grew from an institution founded by a Muslim educationist primarily for the educationally backward Muslim community. Muslims lag behind in education. Let us not fault the Government if it respects their sentiments and steps in.

A. Nihamathullah,
Tirunelveli, T.N.

AMU was established by an Act of Parliament as a national university. Of course, it had a special purpose of serving the cause of Arabic and Islamic studies. M.C. Chagla as Union Minister for Education vehemently opposed the communal bias advanced by some groups saying AMU "is not a theological convent but a national university." The Centre should drop any proposal to promulgate an Ordinance. Let not Muslim interests be protected by ordinance after ordinance.

Mumtaz Ali Khan,
Bangalore

The Centre should find other ways of addressing the backwardness among Muslims. Any ordinance to counter the court verdict may impinge upon the basic features of the Constitution.

R. Devarajan,
New Delhi

Our leaders are bent on creating divisions for narrow political gains. Instead of bringing the minorities into the mainstream, politicians are ensuring that they do not forget their minority status and that they remain insecure.

Though slogans of India rising are being touted, India can rise only when its leaders shed their narrow partisan thinking and become visionaries.

Vipul Sharma,
Bilaspur, H.P.

It is surprising that a community that has produced many dynamic and efficient politicians, scientists, academics, and sportspersons is being persuaded to consider itself backward by some for political mileage. True, positive discrimination is necessary (Letters, Jan. 10) but it should be on the basis of financial status, irrespective of caste or religion.

Shivam Sharma,
Aligarh, U.P.

The people should start a movement against reservation and back door entries so that politicians cannot divide them any more on the basis of religion and caste.

P.G. Panikkar,
Secunderabad

Whenever wrongs are committed with a view to garnering votes, they are set right by the judiciary. The AMU verdict is one such instance.

K. Ramachandran,
Usilampatti, T.N.

There is no gainsaying that there is a serious problem of educational backwardness among vast sections of Indian Muslims. But many non-Muslims also share the same plight.

No one group has claim to suffering from the predicament of educational backwardness.

Air Commodore (retd.)
G. Radhakrishnan,
Thiruvananthapuram

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AMU debate

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