HVK Archives: Price of secularism
Price of secularism - The Observer
D N Mishra
()
17 March 1997
Title : Price of secularism
Author : D N Mishra
Publication : The Observer
Date : March 17, 1997
Secular Muslims suffer a lot in today's politics. This is what has
happened to Mushirul Hassan, the acting Vice-Chancellor of the
Jamia Milia University. He is not favoured because he criticised
the fatwa on Salman Rushdie. The government appointed a committee,
with A H Kidwai as its chairman, to prepare a panel for
Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Milia University. The panel was forwarded
to the President Shanker Dayal Sharma. It contained three names:
Isrel Aziz, Shamim Jairajpuri and Wazahad Habibullah. The name of
Mushirul Hassan was omitted. It may be recalled that in early 1993
a large number of terrorists were holed up in Hazratbal Shrine. The
Indian Army seized the shrine, disconnected electricity, water and
ration to it to compel the terrorists to surrender. But, Wazahad
Habibullah manipulated things and ultimately everything was
restored. Biriani was served to the terrorists. This is how
Habibullah endeared himself to the communal forces. Jairazpuri is
a professor of Zoology at Aligarh Muslim University. The third
gentleman, Aziz, has IAS background. But, the President has
returned the panel - without his assent.
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