PM Narendra Modi Calls Aligarh Muslim University 'Mini India', Lauds Varsity's Contribution During COVID-19

New Delhi, December 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday lauded Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) for its diversity and appreciated the varsity's "unprecedented" contribution to the society during the coronavirus pandemic.

Emphasising on 'sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka viswas', he said that the country's resources belong to each and every citizen and should benefit all.

"People tell me that the AMU campus is like a city in itself. We see a mini India among different departments, dozens of hostels, thousands of teachers and professors. The diversity which we see here is not only the strength of this university but also of the entire nation," he said while addressing the AMU's centenary celebrations. Narendra Modi Attends Centenary Celebrations of Aligarh Muslim University Via Video Conferencing; Here are Key Takeaways from Prime Minister's Address to AMU.

"The way AMU has helped society during the coronavirus crisis is unprecedented. Getting thousands of people to do free tests, building isolation wards, building plasma banks and contributing a large amount to the PM CARES Fund shows the seriousness of fulfilling your obligations to society.

With such organised efforts, India is successfully combating the global epidemic like Corona, keeping the country paramount," he said.

The Prime Minister said that AMU has also worked to strengthen India's relations with many countries of the world in the last 100 years.

"In the last 100 years, AMU has also worked to strengthen India's relations with many countries of the world. The research done here on Urdu, Arabic and Persian languages, research on Islamic literature, gives new energy to India's cultural relations with the entire Islamic world. The University has the double responsibility to further enhance the soft power of the university as well as fulfilling the obligation of nation-building," he said.

The Prime Minister recalled Sir Sayyad's remark that 'the first and foremost duty of one who is concerned about his country is to work for the welfare of all people. Irrespective of the caste, creed or religion.'

He stressed that the country is proceeding on a path where every citizen is assured of his or her constitution-given rights, no one should be left behind due one's religion and this is the basis of the pledge 'sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka viswas'.

PM Modi gave examples of the government schemes providing benefits without any discrimination. He said that the country took forward the efforts to build a modern Muslim society by ending the practice of triple talaq.

The Prime Minister said that the AMU has attracted many from its contemporary curriculum in higher education.

"New National Education Policy has Interdisciplinary subjects similar to one already taught at the university. The youth of our country is committed to advancing the country with the call of Nation First. This aspiration of India's youth has been given priority in the new National Education Policy," he said.

"The multiple entry and exit points in the new National Education Policy will make it easier for students to take decisions regarding their education. This will also give the students the freedom to take their decision without worrying about the fees of the entire course," he added.

The Prime Minister asserted that the government is also continuously working to increase the number of enrollments and increase seats in higher education.

Whether education is online or offline, he said that the Government is working to ensure that it reaches everyone and changes everyone's life,

PM Modi urged the 100 hostels of AMU to perform an extracurricular task on this occasion of 100 years, in line with the 75th anniversary of India's freedom, to research about the lesser-known freedom fighters.