Aligarh Muslim University cannot be minority institution, Centre tells SC

Aligarh Muslim University cannot be a minority institution given its "national character", the Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court, which began hearing the hugely disputed question of the minority status of AMU.

It said AMU is not and cannot be a university of any particular religion or religious denomination as any university which has been declared an institution of national importance cannot be a minority institution. In his written submissions filed before the top court, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the university has always been an institution of national importance, even in the pre-independence era. The university was founded in 1875.

"Therefore, as per the submission of the Union of India, the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) is an institution of a national character. A survey of the documents surrounding the establishment of the Aligarh Muslim University and even the then existing legislative position enunciates that the AMU was always an institution having a national character," the document said.