Day after Supreme Court judgment, Yogi opens AMU file in election rally

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. File
| Photo Credit: SANDEEP SAXENA

A day after the Supreme Court ruled that a central university can be considered a minority institution, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday (November 9, 2024) raised Aligarh Muslim University’s (AMU) minority status issue and assailed the university for not providing reservation to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Castes.

Addressing an election rally in Khair reserved seat in Aligarh district, Mr. Adityanath asked, “How is it possible that an institution uses resources and taxes of Indian citizens, doesn’t provide reservation to SCs, STs, and OBCs but seeks to ensure 50% reservation for Muslims in academic courses? It is not following the provisions of the Mandal Commission. I feel that when Indian money is invested in AMU, children of SCs, STs, and OBCs should get a reservation in academic courses and staff selection.”

Holding the Congress, Samajwadi Party, and Bahujan Samaj Party responsible for the current state of affairs, Mr. Adityanath accused the Opposition of indulging in vote bank politics. “To save their vote bank, they are playing with the unity and integrity of society.”

Raising the issue of the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly’s resolution on Article 370 seeking a dialogue with the Central government, he said, “Congress can come to power only through divisive politics. That’s why I say batenge to katenge .”

Linking his catch phrase, which is gaining traction in the election season, with the dispute over Ayodhya, Mathura, and Kashi, the U.P. CM said, “When we were divided we had to face the insult at Ram Janmabhoomi, Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi and Kashi Vishwanath. What all had happened to our mothers and daughters? Even after suffering so much, if we remain divided in the name of caste and self-interests, we are destined to be slaughtered.”

Reserved for SC candidate, Khair will vote on November 20.

The Jat-dominated seat became vacant after the BJP’s sitting MLA successfully won the Hathras Lok Sabha seat.

In a bid to reach out to Jat voters, Mr. Adityanath reminded how Haryana had recently voted for a double-engine government of BJP.

Responding to the charges, Abdul Hafiz Gandhi, Samajwadi Party’s in charge of the Khair bypoll, advised the U.P. CM to read the SC judgment on the minority status that upholds the rights of religious and cultural minorities protected under Article 30 (1) (2).