JMI
Delivering a lecture on ‘Constitutional Rights of Minorities in India’ organised by Faculty of Law, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), Faizan Mustafa, Vice Chancellor of NALSAR University of Law, said that minority rights should not be considered as minority appeasement but must be treated as their rightful dues that have been enshrined in the constitution.
Emphasising that minority rights are not exceptions but are very much part of main stream rights, he said, these rights are not dependent on the practice of secularism; but are independent rights conforming to the concept of democracy and right to equality.
He further said that other fundamental rights are subject to restrictions, but the rights available to minorities are not. Rights of minorities need not be declared, these are very much available. Talking about the issue of minority status and the ongoing legal battle pertaining to minority educational institutions such as JMI and Aligarh Muslim University, he said that these universities are well within the ambit Article 30 of the Constitution and granting of aid by the government does not dilute their minority character since these were established by initiatives taken by individuals from the minority community. The Supreme Court has also said that the initiative should come from them.
In his presidential remarks, Talat Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, JMI, called upon the members of the Jamia family to take inspiration from Mustafa and try to imbibe his intellectual and academic qualities.
In her welcome address, Nuzhat Parveen Khan, Dean, Faculty of Law encouraged the students to explore the vast contours of knowledge while employing critical thinking.
Qazi Mohammad Usman, Subject Advisor of the Faculty of Law, gave vote of thanks.
