India - Joint Committee of Muslim Organizations for Empowerment

14 July,2007 New Delhi: The National Organizing Committee of the Joint Committee of Muslim Organisations for Empowerment (JCMOE) has issued the following statement :-

"For pursuing the overall objective of empowerment of the Muslim Community through recognition as a Backward Class with a separates sub-quota for reservation, several National Organizations of the Muslim Community have formed a Joint Committee of Muslim Organizations for Empowerment (JCMOE). The Organizations which are currently associated with the JCMOE are;

5 . Movement for Empowerment of Muslim Indians(MOEMIN): Janab Moosa Raza, President

8. Markazi Jamiat-e-Ahle Hadith: Maulana Asghar Imam Mahdi Salafi, General Secretary

10. All India Muslim Educational Society: Janab Bashiruddin Babukhan, Vice President

The JCMOE's National Advisory Committee consists of the Patron and the heads of the associated organizations, with Janab S. Shahabuddin as Convener .

The JCMOE has also established a National Organizing Committee consisting of representatives of some associated organization: Janab Mujtaba Farooque (JIH) , Janab Navaid Hamid (MOEMIN), Janab A.H.Nomani (JUH), Dr. Zafarul-Islam Khan (AIMMM), Janab Mauji Khan (AIMC), Maulana Aquilur Gharvi (AISC), Dr.S.Q.R.Ilyas (Afkar-e-Milli), Mr. Amanullah Khan (U.P.Rabita Committee), Dr. K.K.Usman (Forum of Faith and Fraternity) The first five shall act as Joint Conveners.

The JCMOE has requested various associated organizations to act as Conveners of State Organizing Committees for urgent mobilization to press both Central and State Governments. The State Organizing Committees shall be broad-based with representatives of the State units of other associated organizations as well State level bodies. The State Organizing Committees shall nominate District Conveners and advise them to include representatives of all associated organizations as well as local organizations and institutions. State, district and local Committees should invite all Muslim MPs/MLAs and other prominent social workers to join them and leaders of all sympathetic political parties and members of the intelligentsia, to local, district and state level meetings, organised by them.

The JCMOE has formulated a Charter of Demands (Annexure) in the light of the UPA Manifesto, Prime Minister's assurances to the minorities, the New 15 Point Programme for Minority Welfare and the Recommendations of the Sachar Committee and of the Mishra Commission.

Phase-1: State Organizing Committees should organize public meetings at the town, district headquarter and State capital levels, to approve the Charter of Demands and present Memoranda based on the Charter to the DMs and the Chief Ministers, at least in all districts and states of Muslim concentration, with copies to the Prime Minister.

Phase II: At the national level, the JCMOE is calling on national parties and their leaders to explain the Muslim case and to request them to raise the question in the coming session of the Parliament and press the government to agree to a Discussion on Muslim Welfare and Uplift, with a view to formulate a national strategy and line of action.

Phase III: The JCMOE proposes to organize if necessary, a Dharna by Muslim leaders and to hold a Mass Rally in Delhi towards the close of the monsoon session of the Parliament.

The JCMOE is of the considered view that the assurances and the recommendations for Muslim uplift are not being implemented adequately and properly with the urgency that they deserve. The objective of the Committee is to mobilize public support for urgent action in this regard, particularly for the acceptance of the Charter of Demands by the Government.

Charter of Demands on Sachar Report

I- Recognition of Backwardness

1. *Recognition of the Musilm Community as a Backward Class under Article 15 (4) of the Constitution on the basis of the factual data collected by the Sachar Committee.

2. *Provision of a separate Sub-quota for Muslim Community in proportion to their share in national/state populations and the levels of backwardness in higher education, public employment, development and welfare benefits and bank credit.

*Enlargement of the list of Muslims OBC's through reconciliation of the discrepancy between the Mandal and State Lists and inclusion of other eligible Muslim sub-communities.

3. *Institution of decennial Development Census based on universal and easily accessible parameters and establishment of a National Assessment and Monitoring Authority for collection, analysis, and retrieval of the collected data and monitoring.

II- Political & Administrative Measures

4. *Raising representation of Muslims in Union and State legislatures & PRI's, by appropriate demarcation, rotation of reservation for SC/ST, dereservation of Muslim concentration constituencies and other devises such as double-member constituencies.

5. *Nomination of qualified Muslims against discretionary appointments in the Higher Judiciary, Public Service Commissions, Universities, Public Sector Undertakings, including banks and insurance companies, official Boards, Authorities, Corporations and other statutory bodies.

6. Composite posting of civil and police personnel in districts, blocks and thanas of Muslim concentration.

III- Promotion of Education

7. *Establishing government schools of equal quality in all deprived areas, in accordance with the national norms under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

*Provision of exclusive high schools and hostels for girls.

*Restoration of the Three Language Formula to provide for mother tongue as medium of primary instruction and as a compulsory subject upto X.

*Economic compensation for BPL families to reduce dropout and establishment of vocational schools & ITI's for the dropouts in deprived areas.

8. *Institution of scholarship for Muslims on merit or means at all levels on parity with SC/ST.

9. *Encouragement and facilitation of establishment of professional colleges and private universities by Muslims under Article 30 of the Constitution and equal treatment under Article 29 (2) .

IV- Employment & Economic Uplift

10. *Reservation in Public Employment at all levels in all cadres for Muslims in proportion to their population in the zone of selection.

11. *Distribution of benefit of all development and welfare schemes to Muslims in proportion to their eligible population at the operational level.

12. *Concessional flow of priority sector bank credit, upto say Rs. 500,000, to eligible borrowers by banks for the self-employed, the self-help groups and small entrepreneurs among Muslims and other deprived groups, in proportion to their population in the bank's jurisdiction.

13. *Allocation of due share of municipal and urban development resources to Muslim mohallas and wards.

* Expeditious regularization of Muslim colonies. Rehabilitation of those displaced in slum clearance operations or in communal violence.

14. *Timebound survey of Waqf properties.

*Grant of public premises status to public Waqfs.

*Exemption of Waqfs from rent control and land ceiling laws.

*Establishment of National Waqf Development Corporation & statutory provision for utilization of surplus wakf income for education & economic development.

*Creation of Waqf cadre to meet the administrative needs of all Waqf institutions.

V- Social Dignity

15. *Protection of honour and dignity of the Muslim community against denigration, demonisation and vilification, through statutory curbs on incendiary and provocative speeches and statements and through enactment of hate laws.

Joint Committee of Muslim Organizations for Empowerment
D-250, Abul Fazal Enclave, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi - 110 025 Phone: 2694 6780 Fax: 2694 7346 Email: muslim@del3.vsnl.net.in «