New Delhi, Jan 22 (IANS): The BJP on Friday said central institutions have a secular character and they do not belong to any particular community or section.

The party said it supports the Centre's stand on the status of the Aligarh Muslim University and the Delhi-based Jamia Millia Islamia that these institutions are not minority institutions.

"The matter should be seen in the light of the constitution instead of political prism. Some political parties are trying to mislead the people over the issue. Central institutions have secular character and they do not belong to any particular community or sections," BJP spokesperson M.J. Akbar told the media here.

He said former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi as well as leaders like Abul Kalam Azad and Professor Nurul Hasan were also against minority status for the universities.

"All the Congress prime ministers were against the minority status for the university. They were of the view that the minority status for the university was not in national interest," Akbar said.

"During a debate in parliament in 1981, Congress had voted against minority status but the opposition party diluted its stand under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi for vote bank politics," he added.

He said the government was bound by it's constitutional duty and its stand over the issue in the court was based on the constitution.