Opposition protests govt AMU interference

There was ruckus in the Rajya Sabha on Friday as the Opposition parties, led by the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, created a storm over alleged government interference in the autonomy of the Aligarh Muslim University, forcing the adjournment of the House till noon.

As Opposition members trooped into the well raising slogans against the alleged threat to the minority status of the university and government interference, deputy chairman P.J. Kurien asked members to return to their seats and give notice if they wanted a discussion on the issue, but as none relented, he adjourned the House till noon.

The issue was raised by Javed Ali Khan of the SP during Zero Hour where he raised the issue of human resources development minister Smriti Irani declaring offsite centres of the university illegal and threatening to stop financial aid.

“They talk of ‘sab ka saath, sab ka vikas’ but want to deprive a large section of population of education,” he said, demanding a clarification from the government.

Minister of state for parliamentary affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the government is committed to protecting the minority status of AMU and other minority institutions. He said the AMU matter is in court and everyone should abide by whatever the judicial verdict.

However, dissatisfied by the reply, JD(U)’s Sharad Yadav and Congress’ Digvijay Singh joined Mr Khan, saying the BJP government withdrew an affidavit given by the UPA government and submitted a new one in the Supreme Court, leading to the present situation.

CPI(M) MP Sitaram Yechury asked the government to explain the new affidavit, while Anand Sharma of Congress wanted an explanation as to why it changed the affadavit. “Why are you targeting minority institutions,” he asked. Some Opposition members also alleged that Naqvi was misleading the House. Kurien said if the minister was misleading, there was provision in the rulebook to deal with it.

Naqvi said the government was neither opposing, nor supporting AMU.

This led to slogan-shouting SP members trooping into the Well. Soon Congress and CPI(M) members also joined them in the Well.

“This is also vote bank politics,” Kurien remarked asking members to go back and give notice if they wanted a discussion on the issue. But the members continued to raise slogans alleging government inteference.

As the slogan shouting continued, he adjourned the House till noon.