The little-known Hindu Yuva Vahini is not the only outfit terming Aligarh Muslim University a “nursery of terrorism.” Prafull Goradia, former BJP member and MP, wants the Human Resource Development Ministry to stop funds to the university because it was here that the plans for the creation of Pakistan took shape.
Mr. Goradia told The Hindu that two universities offered the space for deliberations that led to the creation of Pakistan. To back his claims, he culled references from speeches and books that point to AMU and Jamia Milia Islamia having played a key role in forming the strategy for the creation of a new nation. “I sought information under RTI from the Ministry on the grant of funds to the universities, and in the past five year, Rs. 5,000 crore was spent. This should stop,” he said.
He also pointed to the alleged discrimination against women students at AMU as a reason for the need to stop funding. “There are girls from the Women’s College who are barred from entering a library, why should the Ministry finance the institution,” he asked.
In a publication Jana Sangh that he brings out, Mr. Goradia has described AMU as “Arsenal of Muslim India.” “M.A. Jinnah described AMU as an arsenal of Muslim India. Justice M.C. Chagla and Dr. Rafiq Zakaria referred to the Muslims in Uttar Pradesh as the cause of Pakistan; according to them, there would have been no partition but for them. Prof. M. Mujeeb, of Jamia Milia Islamia, also wrote at length to underline that but for Muslims from Uttar Pradesh there would have been no Pakistan…Sir Aga Khan in his biography published in 1954 paid a handsome tribute to the work done by the AMU for the creation of Pakistan.” the piece in Jana Sangh reads.
Mr. Goradia’s claims are, however, vehemently rebutted by the AMU and the JMI. A JMI official said it required a close reading of history to understand the role of the university. “It [JMI] is a product of the Indian Freedom struggle and Mahatma Gandhi’s association with it is well known,” he said.
Dr. Rahat Abrar of the AMU also told The Hindu: “AMU played an important role in the freedom movement. Bharat Ratna Khan Abdul Gaffar Kahn (Frontier Gandhi) and Dr. Zakir Husain are product of this institution. AMU students’ union conferred its first life membership on Mahatma Gandhi. The allegation is baseless.” Dr. Abrar also pointed out that the late Saheb Singh Verma, a former BJP Chief Minister of Delhi, “is also product of this institution.”
