A day after dna carried the report that the state government had allotted a two-storey building lying unused in the state-run Ismail Yusuf College premises for temporarily housing the Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), many in the Muslim community have come out strongly opposing the move, calling it "illegal" citing a pending court case.
A day after dna carried the report that the state government had allotted a two-storey building lying unused in the state-run Ismail Yusuf College premises for temporarily housing the Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), many in the Muslim community have come out strongly opposing the move, calling it "illegal" citing a pending court case.
Who is opposing the decision, why?
The matter was widely discussed in some Masjids in the city during the Friday prayer, and All India Milli Council, Maulana Azad Vichar Manch and some other organizations have condemned the government decision.
Razia Ahmad, grand-daughter of late Ismail Yusuf, who is also a trustee and beneficiary in Sir Ismail Yusuf Trust, expressing angst over the development, told dna: "The government must honour the donor and the courts. The college has already lost a significant portion of land to third parties. Parting with another building is very unfortunate, especially when a case is pending in Bombay high court."
Saying it was an injustice to the community, Razia Ahmad added: "Since decades we have been requesting the government to handover the college to Anjuman-i-Islam in order to uplift the community, which largely remains socio-economically backward, but to no avail."
Why was court approached?
Some former students, including Aziz Mulla and former Union minister Hussain Dalwai, had approached the high court in the nineties demanding that the property be handed over to the Muslim community. They had alleged that the government was giving away college's land to private societies.
What does HC interim order say?
Dr Zahir Kazi, president, Anjuman-i-Islam, which runs hundreds of Muslim educational institutions across India, said: "While the final verdict in the case is yet to come, in its interim order on July 19, 1999, Justice SH Kapadia had forbidden the state from further parting with any piece of land in the premises or entertaining any third party interest in the college compound. It's surprising that the government has defied the HC stay order."
How much land did the college have?
According to reports, the campus originally had an area of 75 acres. But today it just has 54 acres with the government granting its land to private societies, encroachment and construction of Western Express Highway.
Who gave college the land?
In 1914, Sir Ismail Yusuf, a noted philanthropist, donated Rs8 lakh to the then governor of Bombay for setting up a higher educational institution for the Muslim community. The governor then bought a plot to set up a residential college for Muslims and the institution started functioning in 1930. A mosque was also built in the premises.
What was the agreement?
"As per the MoU signed between governor of Bombay and Yusuf Trust, the college was to cater to the educational needs of the Muslims in Bombay state. However, in 1956, the state approached the Bombay high court saying the MOU was ultra vires of the Indian Constitution. The court then made a provision according to which, 20% of the seats were reserved for the community at the entry level (class 11)," Dr Kazi said.
How is the Congress reacting?
The Congress party has also condemned the government action. Prof Al-Nasser Zakaria, spokesperson, Maharashtra Congress, said: "We welcome the launch of MNLU. However, we condemn the way the government handed over the building to it. This government is anti-Muslim. After depriving the community of reservation, it's now eying Muslim land."
What's the govt version?
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and education minister Vinod Tawde couldn't be reached for comments as they are out of the country. A top official in higher and technical education department said: "The building has been given to MNLU only for the time being."
Is Anjuman-i-Islam eying property?
According to sources, Anjuman-i-Islam Trust has been eying the Ismail Yusuf College premises since long. The Bombay high court granted Anjuma-i-Islam Trust and Ismail Yusuf Trust rights over 20% of the seats at entry point in 1967. Dr Kazi said: "We can set up more educational institutions if the college is given to us."
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