Arjun used AMU quota to appease Muslims, says Azam Khan

New Delhi, Jul 5 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh Urban Development Minister and senior Samajwadi Party leader Mohammad Azam Khan today said the attempt by HRD Minister Arjun Sinngh to introduce religion-based reservation in the AMU was a political ploy to garner minority votes in view of the coming Assembly elections in the state.

''Mr Arjun Singh conspired with the AMU Vice Chancellor to introduce quota for Muslims knowing full well that it was constitutionallly untenable,'' Mr Khan told reporters here.

For introducing such provisions, the Constitution needs to be amended, but Mr Singh conveniently forgot the fact in order to appease the minority comunity, he alleged.

Their actions could have left the prestigious university in a mess, but the Supreme Court saved the situation by striking down the religion-based reservation, he said.

Mr Khan, who is also the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, however, refused to comment on the Union Home Ministry's plea to the Supreme Court to allow construction of a bullet-proof enclosure for the disputed Ramjanam Bhoomi structure in Ayodhya.

Asked about the newly-launched Muslim Front in the state, he said it was a seasonal phenomenon and had come into existence because of the coming Assembly election.

''Such formations have no substance and political aim. They will ride piggyback on some political party and try to wrest a few seats in the elections.'' The UP Minister was today in the capital to announce the plans to set up a university at Rampur named after freedom fighter Mohammad Ali Jauhar.

UNI NAZ/SKS VD HT1820