Thu Feb 20 15:36:51 UTC 2025: ## Law Professor Challenges ‘Minority Appeasement’ Myth, Advocates for Minority Rights

**Hyderabad, February 20, 2025** – National Law University Patna Vice-Chancellor Faizan Mustafa challenged the notion of minority appeasement in a lecture at the University of Hyderabad on Thursday. Delivering the Justice Umamaheswaram Memorial Lecture, Prof. Mustafa argued that the definition of a minority is determined at the state level, highlighting that Hindus are minorities in several states and union territories. He cited Supreme Court rulings supporting this, noting the existence of hundreds of Hindu-run minority institutions across India.

Prof. Mustafa’s lecture, titled “Indian Judiciary’s Response to the Rights of Linguistic and Religious Minorities,” also addressed the recent controversial remarks by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath concerning Urdu. He invoked Article 30 of the Constitution, which protects linguistic minorities’ right to establish and administer educational institutions, asserting that a Hindi-speaking Brahmin could establish a Hindi-medium school in a non-Hindi speaking state and it would be considered a minority institution. He further refuted the characterization of Urdu as solely a Muslim language, highlighting the contributions of Hindu scholars to its development.

The professor also expressed concern over the disappearance of several Indian languages in the past 75 years and called for accountability. He connected this linguistic diversity to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, citing Nathuram Godse’s justification, which included Gandhi’s advocacy for Hindustani.

Prof. Mustafa emphasized the importance of protecting minority rights for achieving the goal of “Viksit Bharat” (developed India), arguing that leaving minorities behind would hinder national progress. He criticized the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Uttarakhand, stating that a UCC that doesn’t abolish the Hindu Undivided Family system lacks meaning. He concluded by citing Supreme Court judgments affirming minority rights as a fundamental and absolute right, integral to the basic structure of the Indian Constitution, therefore beyond the reach of parliamentary amendment.

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