NEW DELHI: The Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) has demanded restoration of minority status for the Aligarh Muslim University through a Constitutional amendment.

An RLD delegation led by Ajit Singh that met Union Human Resources Development Minister (HRD) Minister Arjun Singh here on Monday said the court's decision was "regrettable" and asked the Government to take steps to restore minority character of the institution.

The delegation suggested that the Government move a Constitutional amendment for restoration of the minority status that would be supported by the Rashtriya Lok Dal as the party had always stood for the protection of minority rights and multi-culturalism in India.

"We urge the Government to bring a Constitutional Amendment in the coming budget session itself, so that this crisis was resolved forever. In bring a Constitutional Amendment, Parliament will merely reiterate what was accepted as historical reality in 1981 itself -- the University originated as Mohammaden Andlo Oriental College and was established by Muslims primarily for Muslims," the delegation said. It added that the decision of the Allahabad High Court in questioning Parliament's competence in enacting 1981 Act was indeed regrettable and an assault on Parliament's supreme and sovereign law-making powers.

The party also demanded that the Government take all possible steps to remove the "Doubt from the minds of the Muslims that the University was being taken over from them."

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