A report by the NGO ‘Call for Justice,’ led by Justice (retd) S.N. Dhingra and ex-Police Commissioner S.N. Srivastava, exposes religious bias in the Jamia university.
New Delhi: Jamia Millia Islamia University (JMI), often embroiled in controversies, is now under scrutiny following a fact-finding report alleging discrimination against non-Muslims and coercion for religious conversion.
The report, prepared by the NGO “Call for Justice” and led by Justice (retd) SN Dhingra and former Delhi Police Commissioner SN Srivastava, highlights cases of religious bias within the prestigious institution.
According to the 64-page report accessed by The Sunday Guardian, witnesses, including students and faculty, shared accounts of discrimination against non-Muslims at JMI.
A non-Muslim assistant professor stated she faced harassment and insults due to her religion. She recounted an incident involving a Muslim clerk who belittled her PhD thesis, calling it valueless and asserting she wouldn’t achieve anything because of her faith.
Other faculty members also alleged discriminatory practices, claiming unequal access to basic facilities such as cabins, seating arrangements, and furniture, which were readily available to Muslim staff.
The report further highlights discrimination against Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) employees and students, often overlooked. It also documented instances where non-Muslim students left the university without completing their degrees due to the hostile environment.
Allegations of coercion for religious conversion also emerged.
Speaking to The Sunday Guardian, Ravi Harjai, Founder and Managing Trustee of “Call for Justice,” stated, “It took us three months to form this report. We interviewed nearly 60 individuals, including students, ex-students, faculty, and staff, and included 27 cases in the report. What we found was horrifying—cases of conversion, discrimination, and institutionalised practices fostering animosity against non-Muslims.”
He detailed instances of non-Muslim students being denied hostels, facing stipend delays, and being subjected to brainwashing or open threats to convert to Islam. He also noted a demographic shift at the institution: “Till 2011, there was a 50% reservation for Muslims, with the remaining for other communities. Today, Muslims make up 90% of the institution (including staff, faculty, and students), with only 10% from other communities.”
The fact-finding committee presented its report to Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Thursday.
The allegations have sparked outrage and demands for a thorough investigation. The university has yet to issue an official response to the claims.