Dr Tariq Mansoor: Only Muslim In BJP’s 27-Member Election Manifesto Committee
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as it is gearing up for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, announced a committee of leaders for its manifesto committee, that consists of 27 members including union ministers, BJP chief ministers, former chief ministers and senior party leaders. One name that attracted everyone”s attention was of Dr Tariq Mansoor, former Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) vice chancellor, who holds multiple roles in both academia and politics. Presently, he is serving as the national vice president of the BJP and a member of the Legislative Council in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, appointed by the Governor.
Prior to his political engagements, Dr Mansoor held the esteemed position of vice chancellor at AMU (2017-2023), a renowned institution founded in 1920, by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. His career trajectory includes notable leadership roles such as Principal of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and Hospital, the largest teaching and tertiary medical care center in western Uttar Pradesh, and Head of the Department of Surgery at Aligarh Muslim University.
With a wealth of experience spanning over four decades in teaching, research, clinical practice, and administration, Dr Mansoor boasts an impressive academic portfolio, comprising 115 publications and supervision of 58 postgraduate medical students” theses.
His contributions extend beyond academia; he was appointed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to serve on the Padma Awards Committee for the years 2023 and 2024. Additionally, he has held positions of influence on various national bodies, including the Medical Council of India, the Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Management (Lucknow), and the Governing Body of the Maulana Azad Education Foundation.
Dr Mansoor’s tenure as Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University witnessed significant milestones, including the establishment of new academic departments and centers such as the College of Nursing, Para Medical College, and Departments of Cardiology and Biomedical Engineering. Under his leadership, AMU achieved accreditation with an A+ Grade by NAAC and gained Category II Autonomy from the University Grants Commission.
His tenure in AMU as vice chancellor also saw the tumultuous times of campus protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in 2020. He was appointed as the vice president of BJP in July 2023 keeping in view of the lack of Muslim leaders in the saffron party, and also as a strategy to attract community youth to the party. His appointment was also seen as the overtures from the part of BJP to make further inroads into the Pasmanda community, a backward section within Muslims in North India.
According to an NDTV report, Dr Mansoor was “closely working with the RSS on its project to promote the teachings of Mughal prince Dara Shikoh on peaceful Hindu-Muslim coexistence that was in contradiction to his brother Mughal emperor Aurangzeb”s way of working”.
