The Hindu : National : Government committed to AMU decision, says Arjun

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Wednesday, Jan 11, 2006

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National

Government committed to AMU decision, says Arjun

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: In his first response to the Allahabad High Court decision to quash the 1981 law giving Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) its minority status, Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh said the Government was committed to the decision taken by Parliament.

In a statement, Mr. Singh said the Government would decide on its course of action after receiving a certified copy of the judgment. The AMU Act had been amended with near unanimity in Parliament in 1981.

"Doubts were created about AMU being a minority institution. Late Indira Gandhi had the issue examined and then in the election manifesto of [the] 1980 Parliamentary elections mentioned that all doubts on this account will be removed after the elections. As Prime Minister, she got the AMU Act amended with near unanimity in Parliament."

That the decision was spearheaded by the former Prime Minister is a point the Minister makes twice in his short statement. Another refrain is that the amendment was passed with near unanimity in 1981 and most political parties — including the Left — were in favour of granting minority status to AMU.

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