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 Mushawarat Waits on Prime Minister to Review Muslim Problems
PM Assures Continued Engagement and Sympathetic Attention
New Delhi, 4 March,
2006: A Delegation consisting of Mr. Syed Shahabuddin, President, All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM), Mr. Saiyid Hamid, Chancellor, Jamia Hamdard, Member, National Executive, AIMMM, Dr. Abdul Haque Ansari, Amir, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Member, National Executive, AIMMM, Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan, Editor The Milli Gazette, General Secretary, AIMMM and Mr. Akbar H. Jung, IAS (Retd.), Member, National Executive, AIMMM, waited on the Hon’ble Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on 3 March 2006 at 12 Noon in New Delhi.
The Delegation thanked the Prime Minister for the creation of the Ministry of Minority Affairs and requested him that he should continue his personal engagement with the problems of the minorities. He assured the Delegation that the welfare of the minorities will always on his priority list.
The Delegation discussed with him the whole spectrum of the current situation of the Muslim community, with particular emphasis on the following:
Budget Allocation for
national institutions of Muslim concern, namely, the National Minorities
Development and Finance Corporation, the Maulana Azad Education Foundation
and the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language: The Prime
Minister agreed that they were low and that he would try to get them
enhanced.
Establishment of Muslim schools in Deprived Areas including Muslim Tolas/Mohallas
under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan: The Prime Minister assured that
priority shall be given to deprived areas in the light of national norms.
Place of Urdu in Revised School Curriculum: The Prime Minister
agreed that the constitutional right of children to receive primary
education through Mother Tongue should be guaranteed and that the
Mother Tongue should, as far as possible, be taught as First
Language at secondary stage. He promised to look into the revised
Framework.
Communal Violence Bill, 2005: The Delegation impressed on him the
need to have an effective and adequate Bill. Since it was already before
the Standing Committee, the Delegation urged that the Standing Committee
should invite public views, even if it delayed its passage. The Prime
Minister agreed to the suggestion.
Aligarh Muslim University: The Prime Minister reiterated his
Government’s commitment to restore the minority status of the AMU
under the Constitution.
Review of POTA/TADA Detainees including the Coimbatore Case: The
Prime Minister desired to have details because as far as he knows all
cases had been reviewed as promised.
Kashmir: He listened sympathetically to the Delegation’s views
that since the Muslim Indians had a big stake in the matter, their
representation should also be involved in seeking a solution.
Reservation in Public Employment: The Prime Minister was requested
to consider the Karnataka model in the States. He said that he would await
recommendations of the Sachar Committee and the Misra Commission.
Under-representation of Muslims in Legislatures: The Prime
Minister was aware of the fact but desired to have a note on what could be
done.
Under-representation in Higher Judiciary: The Delegation requested
him that following late Mrs. Gandhi’s example, he may like to advise the
Chief Ministers to ensure due representation of weaker sections in
recommendation and also to speak to the Law Minister.
Flaw of Benefits for Development/Welfare Schemes: The Delegation
urged that either the welfare schemes should be universal as in the case
of Old Age Pension, or benefits of the Schemes for the benefit of
individuals should be distributed equitably among various social groups in
the target area and that a direction to that effect should be sent by the
Planning Commission to all States. He agreed to consider the idea
sympathetically.
Wakfs: The Delegation placed various difficulties, in implementing
the Wakf Act, 1995, particularly in having illegal occupation vacated and
in developing wakf properties. He said that these matters may be discussed
in detail with the Minister of Minority Affairs, so that if necessary, he
may initiate suitable changes in the Wakf Act.
The AIMMM expresses its sincere thanks to the Prime Minister for his
sympathetic attention and proposes to submit comprehensive notes to him
for his consideration, as desired.
Sd/- Syed Shahabuddin
ALL INDIA MUSLIM
MAJLIS-e-MUSHAWARAT
D-250, Abul Fazal Enclave, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi - 110 025 Phone:
2632 6780 Fax: 2632 7346 Email:
muslim@del3.vsnl.net.in ; www.mushawarat.com
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