AMU fosters casteism & negligence of constitution; PM must intervene: Pasmanda Mahaaz

Aligarh Muslim University is in the process of filling the vacant position of its Vice-Chancellor. The Executive Council and Court members have sent one name out of three members for the final approval to the Central Government. On the other hand, Sharik Adib, the chairman of All India Pasmanda Mahaaz, has questioned all these processes, calling them false, illegal, unconstitutional, and arrogant, and has demanded the intervention and amendment from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It is known that on November 6, the AMU court prepared a panel of names, including Professor and cardiologist Dr. AMU Rabbani, Professor Faizan Mustafa, and female candidate Professor Naima Khatoon, which is to be sent to AMU VC for selection by President Droupadi Murmu. Before this, two names were also selected, and they were also from the so-called upper-caste Muslims.

Therefore, Sharik Adib alleges that Aligarh Muslim University has become an institution that openly promotes discrimination, hierarchy, and casteism in the country, strangling the Pasmanda society. Adib’s argument is that in India, about 80 to 85 percent of the society is Pasmanda, but 15 percent, mainly the so-called upper-caste Muslims, have spread their influence over the university.

Adib alleges that these 15 percent of Muslims have prevented the Pasmanda society from becoming a part of any committee. He claims that in the university’s Executive Council and Court members, Muslims from the Syed, Sheikh, Pathan, and other upper-caste groups have formed a clique and consistently vote against the interests of the Pasmanda society. In fact, these upper-caste Muslims have effectively used their veto power to prevent the progress of the Pasmanda society.

Adib presents his arguments with reference to the Constitution. He says that our Constitution contains principles to follow the policies and guidelines of the state. The Constitution mentions that the state will promote the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people, especially the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation. Therefore, it is quite disappointing that Aligarh Muslim University is further favoring the creamy layer against the spirit of the Constitution.

All India Pasmanda Mahaaz chairman Adib alleges that for a long time, AMU has been adopting methods where only the upper castes are selected as VCs. He claims that the process of selecting AMU’s VC through the Executive Council and AMU Court is irrelevant and illegal. The role of a VC is to run the university efficiently and strengthen the quality of education. The process of selecting the VC of AMU is entirely based on political, religious, and caste factors. The request to the Narendra Modi government is to amend this process.