CM Yogi asks the opposition to clear its stand on the issue of quota in AMU

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath is well known for his bold and straightforward attitude. He does not mince words while raising an issue and he is clearly not constrained by political correctness. This time again, he has raised a valid issue. The CM Yogi Adityanath while addressing a meeting of BJP booth workers in Aligarh raised the issue of SC, ST and OBC reservations in the Aligarh Muslim University.

CM Yogi said, “Aligarh mein ek kendriya vishwa vidyalaya hai, Aligarh Muslim Vishwa Vidyalaya… Bharat Sarkar prativarsh is vishwa vidyalayako 150 crore se lekar 300 crore tak anudan deti hai. Yeh anudan, hum aur aapke tax se diye jane wala paisa hai (In Aligarh there is a central university named Aligarh Muslim University. The Centre gives it Rs 150-300 crore of funds each year. These funds come from taxes paid by us).” CM Yogi also said, “I want to ask SP, BSP and Congress that if in every institution of the country, be it of the State or Centre, SCs, STs and OBCs are given the benefit of reservation, then why do they not get the same at AMU which is not a minority institution.”

Last year also, CM Yogi had pitched for reservations for Dalits in so-called minority run institutions like Jamia Milia Islamia (JMI) and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). He had said, “If an institution like Banaras Hindu University can give Dalit quota, why can’t minority-run institutions do that.”

After his statement, the Uttar Pradesh SC/ST Commission had sent a notice to AMU asking the same. In its six page long notice, the commission had expressed its vexation over not providing the benefits of reservations to the students belonging to the SC/ST community.

The Chairman of the UP SC/ST commission, Brijlal, had said, “The AMU is not a minority institution. I have issued a notice to it for not giving reservation to the SC/ST. In the notice sent to the AMU Registrar, he was asked to reply to it by August 8.” He further added, “We have asked why SC/ST communities have not been given benefits of reservation and in what circumstances it has been done so. The Supreme Court has not yet passed any order in which AMU was prevented to provide reservation benefits. In light of the HC and the SC directives, it has been established that the AMU is not a minority institution.”

Recently, Jamia Milia Islamia (JMI) and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) have refused to implement the 10% EWS quota for the general category. While JMI has cited its minority tag as an excuse for not implementing the new quota, the AMU has made the excuse that it will wait for the Supreme Court’s verdict on its minority tag.

Both JMI and AMU are like any other central university and run on taxpayers’ fund. It must give Dalits and Tribals reservation, it is their constitutional right. Institutions like JMI and AMU are learning centers and religious centers, they survive because of tax-payers’ money and aid granted by the government, but they don’t want to follow Indian laws such as granting 10% quota for EWS and reservation for Dalits, Tribals and OBCs.

Also read: JamiaMiliaIslamia refuse to provide seats under the EWS quota on grounds of being minority institutions