DISCUSSION 71 to their reactionary nature, Muslim communalists imbued with anti-communism constantly conduct propaganda against communists as atheists and enemies of religion. Even when the Congress is denounced by them, the argument is often that it is turning ^communistic". Moreover,, the communalists stress preservation of Muslim separatism, not the end of Muslim backwardness, as their basic aim. Thus one of the great issues raised by them is the continued preservation of Muslim Personal Law and the rejection of the idea of a uniform national code. Reform of Personal and University Laws A ^uniform national code5 is not necessarily an appropriate slogan; and it is often flaunted as a part of the Jan Sangh scheme of Indianiza-tion. But the reform of Muslim Personal Law so as to give Muslim women equality in inheritance and protection after marriage (by abolishing polygamy) is a progressive demand which ought to be raised by the democratic movement. Far from hurting the interests of the Muslim community, such reform will again be a helpful factor in reducing its social backwardness. Thus it is inconceivable that the democratic movement should oppose changes in Muslim law when directly faced with this question, say, in State Assemblies or the Central Parliament even on the ground that the Muslims are not prepared for it. Whether the working class should itself initiate a demand for such change should, however, depend on actual circumstmces notably the extent of the existing politcal work among the Muslim masses, and the level of consciousness of Muslim women. It may perhaps be more appropriate for women's organizations to raise this demand in the first instance. The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) had recently been made into a central issue by the Muslim communalist leadership. The Social Scif'ritl^i published a note on the AMU (Amendment) Act, 1972,giving the views of a group of Marxists on the Act and the agitation.4 They opposed the Act because of its heavily undemocratic features. On the other hand, the opposition of the Muslim sectional leadership was based on the demand that the university should be declared a minority institution under Article 30 of the Constitution of India. Aligarh accounts for only 5,000 out of an estimated 50,000 Muslim students, and being a residential university, the 5,000 Muslim students come from comparatively richer strata. High-percentage reservation "will neither change the situation at Aligarh nor help to solve the problem of educational backwardness of the Muslims. A Kerala-type reservation in all educational institutions, say 10 per cent in Uttar Pradesh, is the only effective solution. Muslims are in various ways affected by India's relations with Pakistan. While not sacrificing any principle, for instance on the issue ofBangIa Desh, the democratic stand on peaceful relations with Pakistan or the travails of the Bihari minority in Bangia Desh needs better