New Delhi : Malik Motasim Khan, Vice President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), has expressed deep concern over what he describes as a deliberate targeting of Muslim-owned universities by BJP-led state governments.
In a statement issued to the media, Khan highlighted the increasing number of legal actions and arrests targeting educational institutions run by Muslims across BJP-ruled states. “We are seriously concerned about the recent arrests and legal actions against Muslim-run educational institutions. From the midnight arrest of USTM Chancellor Mahbubul Haque in Assam to the harassment of the Maulana Azad University chairman in Rajasthan, the seizure of Glocal University’s assets, and the continuous crackdown on Mohammad Ali Jauhar University in Uttar Pradesh, there seems to be a pattern of selectively targeting Muslim-owned higher educational institutions,” he said.
He further added, “It appears that these institutions are being deliberately maligned to suppress Muslim-led academic progress. This issue becomes even more serious when such actions are accompanied by regular attempts by political figures to falsely portray these institutions as centers of radicalism, thereby tarnishing their reputation with misleading narratives.”
Khan emphasized that such actions not only damage the credibility of these universities but also jeopardize the future of thousands of students and faculty members striving for academic excellence. “Despite being recognized for their academic achievements, these institutions are being unfairly targeted, threatening their fundamental right to education and equal opportunity in the country. In a nation that upholds equality regardless of class, caste, or religion, such selective action against universities harms our reputation as a constitutional democracy,” he stated.
He also pointed out that if NAAC-accredited ‘A’ grade universities fall prey to political opportunism and communal bias, the future of higher education in India faces a severe crisis. “India aims to become a global leader in education and is inviting foreign universities to establish campuses here. However, such actions create serious obstacles to these aspirations,” he cautioned.
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has urged an immediate halt to the alleged targeting of Muslim-owned higher education institutions. Khan called upon state governments to refrain from communal and vote-bank politics, warning that such moves endanger the educational interests of thousands of students.
