When Will Critics Raise the Issue of Issue of Dalit Quota in AMU and Jamia, Asks Yogi Adityanath

New Delhi: Taking on the critics who feel Dalits are being discriminated, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday raised the demand for quota for Dalits in minority-run institutions like Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi.

He called on all those “concerned for Dalits” to raise the issue, reasoning that if institutions like Banaras Hindu University (BHU) could provide the quota for Dalits, what was stopping these two minority-run institutions to follow the same example.

"Those who are saying that Dalits are being discriminated against must be asked when will they raise issue of reservation for Dalits in Aligarh Muslim University & Jamia Millia University? When BHU can provide reservation for Dalits & backward students, why not AMU?," said Adityanath at a pblic meeting in Kannauj.

The quota issue of AMU went to the Supreme Court after an Allahabad High Court verdict of 2005 held the university as non-minority institution.

In April this year, Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot had said that Narendra Modi government at the Centre was trying to restore quota for SCs and STs at Jamia and AMU.

Gehlot had blamed the previous UPA government because of which reservation for Dalits do not apply to these varsities.

“The JMI and AMU are central universities but the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government made them minority institutions. And hence reservation for SC and ST students does not apply there. But these are funded by the central government. Any institution funded or aided by the Central government must have provisions of reservation for SC, ST and OBCs as per the Central government rules. We have presented our side in the Supreme Court and also submitted a changed affidavit. Now waiting for apex court’s response,” Gehlot was quoted as saying by IANS.

In March this year, the Central government filed a revised affidavit in the Delhi High Court, opposing an order of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions that declared Jamia Millia Islamia as a religious minority institution.