Fact-Finding Report on Alleged Discrimination and Conversion of Non-Muslims at Jamia Millia Islamia Released

On Thursday a fact-finding report on the allegation of discrimination of non-muslims and conversion of non-muslims to Islam in Jamia Millia Islamia University (JMI) was released by Justice (Retd) Shri S N Dhingra, Former Commissioner of Delhi Police Shri S N Srivastava and other members of fact-finding committee in a press conference.

The fact-finding committee in its report found that almost every witness deposed about the discrimination of non-muslims and bias against non-muslims in JMI whether non-muslim was a student or a member of the teaching faculty.

According to report an assistant Professor who stated that the bias was felt by her from the very beginning and the muslim staff of JMI would misbehave, taunt and discriminate with non-muslims. When she submitted Ph.D. thesis, the muslim clerk of Ph.D. section passed disparaging comments and told that she was good for nothing and would not be able to achieve anything. The clerk, who was not even able to read the title of the Ph.D. thesis properly, started commenting on the quality of thesis because he was a muslim and she was a non-muslim.

An another non-muslim teaching faculty of JMI who testified that due to his being non-muslim he was grossly discriminated from his other muslim colleagues. The facilities that were given to other muslim colleagues like sitting place, cabin, furniture etc. were not given to him for a long period after joining the University, whereas, the muslim faculty members who joined after him were given all the facilities. He belongs to SC community. When later he was made Asstt. Controller of Examination and in that capacity he was allotted a cabin for administration work, the staff of examination branch started publicly commenting that how could a Dy. Registrar cabin be given to a ‘Kafir’.

An another teaching faculty of JMI submitted that there was lot of harassment and discrimination of non-muslim students and faculty members in JMI. Many tribal students, who were unable to bear this harassment, leave the University. Some convert muslims more forcefully try to influence the students as well as the teachers for conversion to Islam. She had done M.Ed. from JMI only. She deposed that one of the Professors announced in the class that unless the students follow Islam, she would not allow them to complete M.Ed. She gave example of herself and other converted persons (who were converted to Islam) who consequently got good posts and postings in JMI.

These are the some of the brief of the cases mentioned in the report.

Today at 4 PM report of Fact Finding Committee on Jamia Millia Islamia is being presented to the Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Nityanad Rai ji, Ministry of Education and LG of Delhi Office.

This committee was constituted by “Call For Justice” an NGO after receiving vital information in respect of Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi, presently a Minority Institution regarding discrimination of non muslims and conversions of non-muslims to Islam and the harassment being done to non-muslims. On 04.08.2024 a demonstration was held at Jantar-Mantar by schedule caste and Balmiki Samaj members in support of one employee Mr. Ram Niwas, who was being harassed and discriminated in JMI because of being a non-muslim. Call For Justice also received oral and written complaints from many others in respect of the harassment / conversion of non-muslims and discrimination with non muslims in JMI. After holding a preliminary enquiry into the allegations against JMI, Call For Justice decided to constitute a Fact Finding Committee in order to hold a detailed enquiry into the allegations.

The members of the fact-finding committee are

1. Justice (Retd.), Shiv Narayan Dhingra, Former Judge, Delhi High Court, (Chairman)

2. Sh. Rajeev Kumar Tiwari, Advocate, Delhi High Court, (Secretary)

3. Sh. Narender Kumar (IAS), Former Secretary Delhi Government (Member)

4. Sh. S.N. Srivastava, Former Commissioner of Delhi Police, (Member)

5. Dr. Nadeem Ahmad, Assistant Professor, Karori Mal College, Delhi, (Member)

6. Ms. Purnima, Advocate Delhi High Court (Member)