“His speech actually legitimizes the status of the Muslim University of Aligarh (AMU) as a major educational institution in the country, especially its agenda to promote Islamic intellectual discourses,” said Hilal Ahmed, author and associate professor, CSDS, New Delhi.
Shahid Siddiqui, a former MP and senior political analyst, noted that while the prime minister did not mention key issues, he delivered an affirmative speech that is the need of the moment for “Indian Muslims who have had the worst year in 2020 since Independence.”
S Irfan Habib, historian and former president of Maulana Azad at the National University for Educational Planning and Administration, New Delhi, said Modi’s silence on police violence is not a surprise.
“I knew he would not comment on this because he has barely commented on what the UP CM is doing, what is happening within AMU.”
Many on the right wing have long demanded that AMU’s minority status be revoked. The students had submitted a letter of demands asking the Center to support the minority character of the institution.
Shahid Siddiqui opined that Prime Minister Modi’s speech was not directed only at the thousands of students at the university, but at thousands of students living around the world. “These alumni are now in positions of power in major Muslim-majority countries. They are very fundamental in international ties with India ”.
Another issue that was criticized was the prime minister’s comments on the education and welfare of Muslim students.
“The school dropout rate among Muslim girls was over 70 percent and this situation persisted for 70 years. After the Swachh Bharat Mission built village toilets and toilets for girls attending school, this rate dropped to almost 30 percent, ”he said.
Several academics criticized the prime minister, saying that for decades women have been seeking college education and excelling in various fields around the world.
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