Stop Maligning the Image of India’s Top Universities

New Delhi: Responding to a communally-laden statement of Prof Madhu Kishwar against three prestigious universities – Jamia Millia Islamia, Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Hamdard –, Faisal Izzudheen, National Secretary of Social Democratic Party of India has strongly condemned the move and demanded the Prime Minister, Education Minister and UGC to take note of such anti-democratic elements and their irresponsible statements.In an open letter to the Prime Minister, Kishwar has demanded to ban the purported ‘Jihadi’ curriculum being taught at the above state-funded Islamic universities.

It alleges that the continuous attacks on the Hindu society, culture and civilization are a direct result of such a curriculum. This is a completely cooked up and false allegation. It further makes the unfounded allegation of anti-India and anti-national curriculum being openly taught to the students there.Faisal Izzudheen said that the blame by Prof Kishwar of a ‘Jihadi’ course being taught is in fact an allegation against the Hon’ble Presidents of India as visitors of central universities. Further, it blasts the credibility of UGC and HRD ministry for allowing such courses in the universities.

Moreover, blaming these top-performing universities of teaching ‘Jihadi’ curriculum is itself an abuse against the central government which allocates funds to them. It also shows a clear disrespect to the tax-payers. The imagined scenario-building reflects a clear bias and anti-Muslim and anti-democratic attitude and therefore must be stopped, he asserted. Given the negative import and bigoted nature of the widely-circulated statement, the government should order Prof Kishwar and other signatories to provide an explanation for their irresponsible public posturing failing which they should be held accountable for their biased and communal statement and asked to apologise, demanded the SDPI Secretary.

It should be noted that in the latest NIRF rankings, Jamia Millia Islamia occupied the third spot among the country’s best universities. It also gave the country the present UPSC topper. Similarly, Jamia Hamdard ranked top among India’s pharmaceutical institutions. Securing 11th position among the universities in the 2022 rankings, ahead of the other prestigious Delhi and Punjab universities, Aligarh Muslim University’s contribution to different fields and its services to the nation have been widely recognised and need not be retold. Although the right-wing fascist elements, because of their anti-academic and anti-development posturing, have in the past tried to malign these excellent academic institutions, the latest attempt by academician Madhu Kishwar, a senior fellow at Nehru Memorial Museum and Library and 20 odd academicians, many of them retired, comes as a shock, Faisal Izzudheen said.