Author Description

Aligarh, As The Microcosm Of The Muslim Community, Can Aptly Be Called An Index Of The Status Of Muslims In India. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, The Founding Father Of Pakistan, Eulogised Aligarh In The Pre-Partition Days As The 'Arsenal Of Muslims India'. Though It May Not Have Remained The Only Centre Of Muslim Politics After The Partition Of India, It Still Occupies A Pivotal Place In The Country'S Politics, Its Communal Contours As Well As The Social And Political Mobilisation Of Muslims. Aligarh Muslim University (Amu) Has Been Listed As An Institute Of National Importance In The Seventh Schedule Of The Constitutions. Despite The General Impression That The Amu Of Old Had Fulfilled Its Function And Had Become More Of A 'Problem', Aligarh Continues To Be The Hub Of Muslim Ethnicity In North Indian States - Uttar Pradesh And Bihar In Particular. Though The Catchment Era For Attracting Students Has Shrunk With The Mushroom Growth Of New Educational Institutions And Universities In Almost Every Corner Of The Country, Amu Has Retained Its Significance. No Wonder It Has Attracted Friends And Foes In Equal Measure.