The Jamiat has been in the forefront of struggle for protecting the minority status of Aligarh Muslim University ever since the government tried to interfere with its autonomy in 1965.

 

The Jamiat raised the matter to the highest level possible, right up to the Supreme Court. In 1981, it decided to call an All India Convention for Aligarh Muslim University which saw representatives attend from all over the country. The convention adopted several proposals, including the key demand for restoration of the minority status of the university. Three months later the Centre passed a bill restoring the university’s minority status.

 

But the deadlock remains in place, with the Allahabad High Court striking down the order in 2006. This judgment prompted the then UPA dispensation at the centre to challenge in the apex court, but the successive NDA government decided not to pursue the matter further and accept the decision of the High Court.

 

The Jamiat’s position has always been that the issue of Aligarh Muslim University is not simply about minority status, but the protection of Indian Muslims’ cultural values.