Tag: Minorities

Didi meets Sachar, seeks advice on minorities

TNN Jul 31, 2011, 12.31am IST
  • KOLKATA: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday met Justice Rajinder Sachar and sought his advice on various issues concerning development of minorities. She also set up an expert committee for implementation of quota for Muslim OBCs, which was introduced by the Left Front government. A case is pending in the high court on the issue. The committee, the CM said, will submit its report in three months.

Soon after taking charge, Mamata had announced her intention to invite Justice Sachar to Kolkata in keeping with her poll manifesto.

After the hour-long meeting at Town Hall on Saturday, the CM said, “We discussed various issues. He is happy with the steps taken on minority development by this government. I have told him that we have set up an employment bank for minorities “You can imagine how troublesome it must have been for Justice Sachar to come all the way to Kolkata considering his age (87 years). We are grateful to Justice Sachar and will follow the advice he has given us.”

While launching her poll campaign, Mamata had promised that, if elected, she would ask Justice Sachar to come and assess the condition of minorities in Bengal. Hours after being sworn in as the chief minister on May 20, she had reiterated her resolve, saying she would discuss how the recommendations of the Sachar Committee could be implemented in the state.The Sachar Committee report on the social, economic and educational status of minorities in Indiawas tabled in Parliament in 2006. Its findings on the conditions of minorities in West Bengal became a major political plank for Mamata to crack the Left’s stranglehold over the minority vote bank.

An observation on page 370 of the report that the share of Muslims in employment in the State government was only 2.1 per cent, lower even than Gujarat’s 5.4 per cent, has been repeatedly cited in speeches, rallies and the election campaign of the Trinamool Congress.

Before meeting Justice Sachar, the CM chaired a function by the West Bengal Minority Development and Finance Corporation (WBMDFC) at Netaji Indoor Stadium where she announced a slew of schemes. She announced the government’s decision to set up minority development offices and housing for minorities in each and every district. She also announced 717 health centres, 39 Urdu schools, three polytechnic colleges, 7,200 shelters and 37,300 housings in minority-heavy areas all over the state. The CM said the government will disburse Rs 112 crore for scholarships and Rs 82 crore for educational loans to minorities.

“We shall do all these despite carrying an over Rs 2 lakh crore debt burden. We are just a two-month-old government. Give me time and I shall flood you with development schemes,” she said. She also distributed scholarships to students. The government has sanctioned Rs 21 crore for 54,141 students from the minority community.

On the quota for Muslim OBCs, the CM said, The CM announced the decision to set up a committee for implementation of 10 per cent reservation of Muslim OBCs in government jobs.

“The previous government drafted a bill on the reservation, but the governor hadn’t signed the bill. A case is also pending on the issue,” the chief minister told the audience at Netaji Indoor Stadium.”

A senior official at Writers’ Building said, “Setting up the committee has been necessitated after an order by a division bench of Chief Justice J N Patel and Justice A K Roy on July 8, 2011.” The official added, “The court had observed that the government decision was taken in haste and directed us to reconsider the decision and let the court know. Accordingly, the court will decide whether the decision was taken in accordance with the law.”

Source : http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-31/kolkata/29835615_1_minorities-justice-sachar-sachar-committee

Reservation for Minorities

The National Commission for Religious & Linguistic Minorities has, inter alia, recommended that 15 percent of posts in all cadres and grades under the Central and State Governments should be earmarked for minorities, of which 10 percent should be for Muslims and 5 percent for other minorities. The Commission has further stated that if it is not possible to give reservation as proposed above, 8.4 percent sub-quota may be earmarked for minorities (6 percent for Muslims and 2.4 percent for other minorities) within 27 percent OBC quota. The recommendation is under consideration of the Government. It is, however, not possible to fix time frame for taking a decision.

This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Shri V.Narayanasamy in written reply to question in the Lok Sabha yesterday.

Source : http://hyderabadcustoms.blogspot.com/2011/08/reservation-for-minorities.html

Government committed to welfare of minorities: Khurshid

Minorities Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said the government was committed to the welfare of minorities in India as the government Friday began monitoring the implementation of the schemes launched for the purpose.

“We must understand the ground reality of these areas to take necessary steps. The government is committed to uplifting the minority communities and it is important to monitor the schemes launched for this purpose,” Khurshid said.

He was speaking to reporters here after he inaugurated a two-day workshop on how to monitor the implementation of the programmes.

The government has initiated development projects and schemes in 150 minority concentration districts of the country as part of the the Prime Minister’s 15-Point Programme for the welfare of minorities that includes enhancing opportunities for education.

The minister admitted that there were complaints about the implementation of such schemes. “But one cannot say that nothing has happened. A lot still needs to be done.”

He said the government in 2010 gave out six million scholarships to the students of minority communities, particularly Muslims.

“Besides that, more than 750 fellowships were issued by (the University Grants Commission) UGC for students belonging to the minority community. In the next two years, we are planning to give around one crore scholarships.”

India is home to the third largest Muslim population in the world after Indonesia and Pakistan.

Of the country’s 1.2 billion population, Muslims are the largest minority at 14 percent followed by Christians at 2.3 percent, Sikhs at 1.9 percent, Buddhists at 0.8 percent, Jains at 0.4 percent and others, including Parsis, at 0.6 percent.

Source : http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=250180

95 percent benefits of minorities go to Sikhs and Jains

New Delhi: Maulana Abdul Hameed No’mani, secretary of Jamiatul Ulama-e Hind said, while talking to mediapersons here on 14 April, that Delhi State Minorities Commission and Minorities Financial Development Corporation etc. are simply to befool Muslims because Muslims have not benefited from them in any way. Rather, he said, only people belonging to Sikh and Jain communities are deriving the benefits from all the welfare schemes set up and meant for Muslims.

He said that inclusion of Sikhs and Jains among minorities itself is beyond comprehension, adding that “minorities” can be declared those communities which have their own personal laws but Sikhs and Jains do not have their personal laws. He said that the ministry for minorities affairs was created at the Centre to identify and understand the problems and difficulties of Muslims and for their solution and progress but Muslims are not getting any benefit from this ministry also.

He said that the government had appointed Sachar Committee to assess the situation, problems and difficulties of Muslims but after the submission of its report, the then minister of minorities affairs Abdur Rahman Antulay changed the word ‘Muslim’ to ‘minority’. Today, he said, the position is that 95 percent benefits of the schemes made for the welfare and development of minorities are derived by Sikhs and Jains whereas Muslims are not getting the benefits of even the remaining 5%. He said that if the government wants to take Muslims out of backwardness, it should prepare schemes not in the name of minorities but solely in the name of Muslims.

On the other hand, nationalised banks, which are all government banks, have blacklisted Delhi’s Muslim-populated localities like Jamia Nagar, Jama Masjid, Seelampur, Mustafabad etc. and because of this, Muslims do not get loans from them. He demanded that the Reserve Bank of India should issue strict instructions to all banks in this connection so that Muslims also should derive benefits from banks.

Source : http://www.milligazette.com/news/1224-95-percent-benefits-of-minorities-go-to-sikhs-and-jains-india

Minority report

By Aaditi Isaac

Fatma Zakaria, chairman, Maulana Azad Educational Trust (Aurangabad) and juror, World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), speaks to Aaditi Isaac on how minorities can be brought into the mainstream of education.

The 21st century is witnessing huge change in terms of the way education is being imparted. Providing inclusive education in terms of access, equity and quality is one of the biggest challenges that we face today in India. With the RTE Act coming in, there is a need to provide inclusive education to all.

Talking about the need for inclusive education, Fatma Zakaria, chairman, Maulana Azad Educational Trust (Aurangabad) and juror, World Innovation Summit for Education Summit (WISE), says, “The three major factors of inclusive education are access, equity and quality. I feel we have not yet succeeded in providing even minimum access to education.”

The school dropout rate in the country continues to be alarming; the number of institutions that offer quality education is just a handful; and a large number of our graduating students — 7 million to be exact by 2020 as the Unesco report suggests — live outside their home countries in search of excellence.

“Inclusive education does not merely mean creating access; it also means a readiness to generate equitable access. Large sections of society, scheduled caste, scheduled tribe, other backward class, minorities and women and the demographically underprivileged masses, who have not reached the national goal of 20% literacy even in 2011. I look at inclusiveness as an empowering strategy. Our policies must be directed towards the empowerment and selfsufficiency of the poor, the victims of caste, gender and ethnic bias,” stresses Zakaria.

In a diverse society such as India, social transformation through education isn’t easy. Elaborating on the challenges, Zakaria says, “We are a multi- pronged society; issues of ethnicity, caste, marginality and gender have somehow remained outside our policymaking framework. While marginal groups and women need special attention in the process of capacity building, we also need to generate awareness among the majority sections of society that contribute substantially to the making of the centre. The project of social transformation through education cannot be accomplished unless exclusion is systematically resisted against and inclusiveness is recognised as a national virtue.”

Providing education that bridges the gap between knowledge and skills is the way forward. Talking about how people from marginalised groups can be brought into the mainstream, Zakaria says, “I do not see how that goal could be achieved if minorities, women and people with special needs are either left out or simply ignored. Only awarding merit selectively or supporting the poorer sections of society indiscriminately cannot remove disparity. They could be brought into the national mainstream by creating equitable access. It would be a wise step to nationally identify centres and institutions that have a long and timetested history of educating these sections of society and create special endowments for them. Also educational institutions that are managed by minority groups should be given adequate infrastructure and knowledge resources.”

Source : http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-18/education/29786676_1_inclusive-education-minority-report-educational-institutions

Minority challenge for Salman

IMRAN AHMED SIDDIQUI

New Delhi, July 16: So long the baby was his, now the problem for Salman Khurshid is he’ll have to “deliver” it too.

Several Muslim leaders and organisations feel the minority affairs minister has his task out. How, as law minister, will he handle the community’s long-standing demand for reservation under the category of socially and educationally backward classes on the lines recommended by the Ranganath Mishra panel?

A fortnight ago, the minority affairs ministry had sought the law ministry’s advice on how to go about it. The latest cabinet shuffle has meant that Khurshid, who is now both minority affairs and law minister, will have to come up with the solution himself.

“Now, Salman Khurshid has to deliver it fast as he is also the law minister. Let’s see how he handles the tricky situation,” said Zafarul Islam Khan, the working president of the All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat.

“It’s long due and we hope it will be done since he (Khurshid) is also in charge of the law portfolio,” said Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid.

An official in the minority affairs ministry said the government was sincere about the issue because of the forthcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh.

“The ministry will reach a final decision on the issue before the Assembly elections,” the official added.

The demand for reservation for the community had gained momentum following the Sachar committee report that highlighted the poor economic condition of most Muslims in the country. Later, the Mishra commission recommended reservations as the only solution and suggested 10 per cent reservation in education and jobs for Muslims within an overall quota of 15 per cent for minorities.

At present, there are no religion-based quotas.

“We have to look at how to do it. We have recommended rationalisation of the OBC quota to include all the deprived classes,” Khurshid had said soon after taking charge as law minister.

A minority ministry official said the government would need to pass a bill in Parliament to implement the 15 per cent reservation for minorities. The bill, he added, would require the approval of two-thirds majority in both Houses.

Earlier, Khurshid had said the objective was to find what was suitable at the national level as there were different models for different states like Bengal, Kerala and Karnataka.

“Several states have extended such benefits (reservation for Muslims), such as Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, and each model is different. A national model will have to be found to address the issue and we are committed on this,” Khurshid said.

source : http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110717/jsp/nation/story_14249960.jsp

 

Muslims allover India should feel sense of ownership for Jamia Millia Islamia: Vice chancellor Najeeb Jung

Being the first Central University to attain minority status, Jamia Millia Islamia will extend its hands to take more students from all parts of India; from North East to South. The vice chancellor of the university Mr Najeeb Jung made it very clear that Jamia is not meant only for the Muslims of UP and Bihar but it belongs to Muslims allover India.

Muslims from all parts of India should proudly feel the same sense of ownership to the University as the North Indian Muslims feel. To increase representation from all parts of Indian, the university already started conducting entrance examinations in Kerala and Guwahati. Next year it expects to reach Mizoram and other unrepresented areas.

If modalities are completed locally he is ready to conduct the entrance examinations in Saudi Arabiabut the local businessmen have to come forward with the required logistics. It will benefit both university and the businessmen.

Najeeb Jung was addressing a reception arranged in his honor by the Jamia Millia Islamia Alumni Association at Marhaba Banquet Hall in Riyadh. “I will not compromise on matters of discipline and quality of education. Even tough I was criticized for some harsh decisions; these steps are intended only to improve the quality of education and to make Jamia Millia Islamia one of the best universities of India. Our competition is with the like of JNTU” he quipped. Already on the 14th position, Jung eyes on to make it among the top Ten Indian Universities during the coming years.

Due to the continuous efforts of the authorities, this year seven Jamiaites got selected for the Civil Services, but VC feels that the university has a potential to send more students and he set a target of at least a dozen students for this accomplishment next year.

Jung announced that he will try to take Jamia to new heights by improving standard and quality of education. To set things right Jamia must discipline itself then only we will be in a position to compete with others. To discipline students we expelled 200 students and 250 detained for copying. He said he got many calls to favor candidates for selection of faculty members, but he did not succumb to any pressure even for a single post.

The Vice Chancellor said that Jamia Millia Islamia is a 91 years old secular university and even after attaining the Minority status it will continue its secular legacy. This status will not change the way of teaching.

Source : http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-01/other-news/29607611_1_minority-status-najeeb-jung-jamia-millia-islamia

Minority voters to decide fate of parties in Kadapa bypolls

HYDERABAD: Though the Reddy community has the largest voter base in Kadapa parliamentary constituency, it is the Muslim minorities (with 16% vote share) who would determine the fate of three Reddy candidates in the fray.

A caste census of the seven assembly constituencies that fall under the Kadapa parliamentary constituency brings out some interesting aspects, which are endorsed by election analysts.

Be it D L Ravindra Reddy, M V Mysura Reddy or Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, all the three leaders have claimed that their inherent strengths and popularity would help them win over the hearts of the 13,29,729 Kadapa LS voters.

While Jagan is trying to emerge as an alternative political force in the state, Congress candidate Ravindra and TDP’s Mysura are trying hard to retain their vote bank by playing up issues relating to corruption, welfare measures and development. The Reddy community has 3.5 lakh voters.

In fact, OCs (other castes) which include Reddy, Kamma, Balija, Brahmin, Vysya and others constitute 38.2% of the total vote base (5,06,219), followed by BCs (backward classes) Dasari/ Jangama, Padmashali, Golla/Yadav, Ediga/Gouda, weavers/Salilu, Bestha, Chakali/Rajaka, Achari/V Brahmin, Thalari/Palle, Vaddera, Mangali/Nayi Brahmin, Kummari, Uppara/Kuruva, Gandla, Thogata BC and others are 3,10,068 in number and constitute 23.4% of the voter base.

The BC population in fact outnumbered the Reddy community in three (Mydukuru, Proddutur and Jammalamadugu) of the seven assembly constituencies within the Kadapa parliamentary constituency. An analysis points to the fact that a majority in the Reddy community as well as SCs have traditionally patronized the Congress party, while most of the BCs have remained loyal to the TDP.

There are 1,80,394 Muslim voters and BC Dudekula with 30,319 voters constitute 15.9% of the entire Muslim minorities vote share in the Ls constituency.

Among SCs, who are 2,20,243 in number, SC Malas have the highest number of votes with 1,25,823, followed by SC Madigas with 94,421 votes. In STs, various tribals have 34,561 voters followed by Yerukala ST (14,467) and Sugali ST with 6289 voters and Yanadula ST with 4,714 voters. There are also a small number of Christian BCs with 22,456 voters.

Though Y S Jaganmohan Reddy emerged victorious in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections by a margin of 1.75 lakh votes, there may be a serious shift in the voting pattern because of several local factors including caste and community. In fact, the triangular fight may even help the TDP get a little more than the 3.62 lakh votes secured in the 2009 elections. If the Congress is able to retain its voter base in at least four constituencies, then it may give Jagan a real tough time.

Another interesting aspect is the clout being wielded by Pulivendula Assembly Congress candidate Y S Vivekananda Reddy, who could take away a large chunk of the 7,52,331 votes in the Assembly segments of Badvel, Kadapa, Pulivendula and Kamalapuram that are dominated by Reddy voters.

Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Minority-voters-to-decide-fate-of-parties-in-Kadapa-bypoll/articleshow/8121579.cms

Contribution of secular Muslim rulers suppressed in India: SC judge

By Md. Ali, TwoCircles.net,

New Delhi: Indian masses are fed on a history which selectively projects the cases of religious intolerance of Muslim rulers. Contribution of secular Muslim rulers like Tipu Sultan has deliberately been suppressed, said Justice Markanday Katju, senior judge of the highest Indian court, Supreme Court of India. He was speaking at the concluding day of a conference on “Towards Knowledge, Development and Peace – Outlining Roadmaps for the Future” organized by the Institute of Objective Studies that is celebrating its silver jubilee.

“You will get to read how Mahmood Ghaznawi demolished temples and how other Muslim rulers converted Hindus but you will never get to know that Tipu Sultan used to fund 153 temples,” added Katju who is also known for his deep interest in Urdu. Though the view has earlier been shared by secular historians and social scientists and civil society activists, it was perhaps first time that a senior most judge of the SC publicly expressed it.


Justice Markanday Katju speaking at the IOS conference

Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Katju also gave the example of Nawab of Awadh who was known for his secular way of functioning. Katju considered this kind of “suppression of an important part of our civilization history” as the main cause of growth of communalism in India. But he also said that India is a country which is very diverse and can’t live without secularism. Calling India as the “country of migrants” Katju regarded the Indian culture as “Sanskrit–Urdu” culture.

Speaking at the occasion, Syed Shahabuddin, senior Muslim leader and intellectual lauded the efforts of the IOS for creating a platform for the social scientists, intellectuals and those from politics to come together and plan a roadmap for change. The conference concluded with the presidential speech of Dr. Manzoor Alam, chairman of the IOS.

The conference passed a resolution demanding implementation of the recommendations of the National Knowledge Commission, the Sachar Committee and Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission. It also demanded the establishment of the Equal Opportunity Commission.

The other resolutions which were passed on the occasion are as follows: –

1. The conference notes with a degree of satisfaction the rise in literacy rate as per the latest census figures but expresses its dismay on absence of enlightenment which is essential for developing a versatile personality. We do believe that though the education is spreading the world over it is not bringing refinement, broad vision, intellectual and moral richness as well as happiness in human lives. The conference urges all concerned to promote the goals of enlightenment as enshrined in the preamble of the Indian Constitution.

2. The conference resolves that the knowledge revolution will remain an empty slogan if access to knowledge remains limited to a privileged few excluding the large masses of the poor and the downtrodden. The conference also urges all concerned to give priority to the spread of education amongst minorities and the marginalized sections of the society. We, therefore, urge establishment of more and more minority institutions by the minority communities and simultaneously demand the Central and State Governments to take appropriate steps to set up adequate numbers of educational institutions of the state in the minority-concentrated areas. The conference also believes that no meaningful education would be possible without recognising due importance of primary education being imparted in the mother tongue.

3. The conference resolves that education is the key to empowerment. Knowledge alone can bring about sustainable development which must be based on generational equity and should be fully inclusive. This inclusive development, the conference, urges should be based on preservation of India’s rich diversity.

4. The conference resolves that inclusive growth is not possible without equal opportunities being given to all sections of the society particularly minorities and other marginalised communities. The conference, therefore, urges the Government of India to take immediate steps to set up an Equal Opportunity Commission.

5. The conference resolves that so long we have injustices in our society, no meaningful development or peace could be achieved and therefore to attain the lofty and cherished goal of peace through knowledge and development, we must strive to eliminate all forms of injustices and create a truly just, humane and egalitarian society. The roadmap of future in a knowledge society should, therefore, be based on expansion, inclusion and excellence.

6. The conference resolves that lasting peace can be achieved through enlightenment and knowing each other and appreciating distinctive identity of each other. The goal of attainment of peace will remain a dream till we achieve peace between and within various religions, castes, tribes and groups.

7. The conference urges the Government of India and the Government of Pakistan to release all prisoners of Pakistan and India respectively who have been falsely implicated particularly Dr. Mohammad Khaleel Chisti and Sabarjit Singh. The conference urges the use of pardoning power to ensure release of the two prisoners. The conference resolves world peace can be achieved if lasting peace is ensured in the Indian sub-continent. Release of prisoners of each other country will create most conducive environment for
peace.

Source : http://twocircles.net/2011apr17/contribution_secular_muslim_rulers_suppressed_india_sc_judge.html