Oppn to approach NDA allies over AMU, JMI’s minority status

To scale up its offensive against the Indian government on the issue of minority status to AMU and JMI, opposition parties have decided to approach some National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies, who were earlier constituents of the United Front, as they plan to corner the government in Parliament during the Budget Session.

MPs from Congress, Trinamool Congress, JD(U), RJD, NCP, CPI, CPI(M) and AAP had on Friday issued a joint statement condemning the government’s move to “strip” Aligarh Muslim University and Jamila Millia Islamia of their minority status. They will now seek to forge a larger unity on the issue in Parliament when the Budget Session convenes next month.

“We will try to take on board some of the NDA allies like Akali Dal, TDP, AGP, PDP and TRS. Many of them were with us during the United Front days and share the same view on such issues,” JD(U) general secretary K C Tyagi told media. Tyagi said efforts are on to ensure the issue is raised in a big way during the Budget Session so as to “prevent” the government from “taking away” the minority status of JMI and AMU. A meeting of MPs sharing a common view on this matter will also be held before the Budget Session to chalk out the strategy, the JD(U) leader said. Tyagi said that apart from MPs from the eight parties, which have signed the joint statement, “Indian National Lok Dal has also decided to support us. We will now try to reach out to some NDA allies”.

He said the issue is a “larger one” and “not confined only to the minority status of JMI and AMU.”