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 India:
National
Agenda for Muslims Development
Letter to Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India
National Economic Forum for Muslims
Dated: 22 June, 2009
Dr. Manmohan Singh
Hon’ble Prime Minister of India
South Block
New Delhi – 110001
Sub: National Agenda for Muslims Development
Respected Dr. Singh
Widening the jobs and educational opportunities to the millions of its
citizens in a cost effective manner should be the national priority for
India in the new millennium. Muslims constitute a large segment of those
Indians who continue to suffer due to lack of proper education. The
literacy levels amongst the Muslim are the lowest, as has been
authenticated by Sachar Panel. Thus they have a long way to go before they
can catch up with the rest of the country.
Due to the educational backwardness Muslims are not able to participate in
the economic development. In jobs many times they face discrimination,
which has led to their negligible presence in Government services, even at
the lowest levels, where education does not matter. With this social
handicap, they can look for any respectable level of participation only
with effective instruments of support by the Government. Removal of
religion based discriminatory Clause 3 under Article 341 of the
Constitution, creating a Separate Subgroup within the OBC reservation and
launch of a Special Component Plan for Muslims of a reasonable size of Rs.
25,000 Crores annually, seems logical and absolutely necessary steps.
In the changing dynamics of world order and the emergence of knowledge
societies, where the emergence of private sector in playing an important
role in education, jobs and new enterprises, the importance of quality
education is further enhanced. Thus providing quality education to 30
million Muslims to bring them into national mainstream is a major
challenge for the Government.
In view of the increasing marginalisation of Muslims in social and
economic spheres over a period of time, the feeling is growing that Muslim
youths may loose faith in the system and about their future. Thus, there
is urgent need for attention by the Government, intelligentsia and the
political system to devise suitable measures to address their issues and
grievances, and more importantly take effective steps to ensure their
participation in the mainstream education and social and economic
development.
The question of social opportunity and public policy needs to be answered
keeping in view the poor economic development of the community. If fair
representation in jobs, education and resources allocation is ensured, it
will have strong cascading effects on the development of the community.
Keeping in view the above dynamics and based on the wide spread
consultations among the community leaders; and the discussions held at the
India Islamic Centre, New Delhi on the occasion of Felicitation of Muslim
Ministers and newly elect MPs on 9th June, 09, the following
recommendations have emerged:
1. No Reservation but Correction of the religion based discriminatory
Clause (3) under Article 341 of the Constitution, which was imposed by a
Presidential Order 1950. The existence of this Clause contradicts the
secular character of our constitution, which is mentioned in the Preamble
of the Constitution and guaranteed under Article 14, 15 and 16 of the
Constitution “that no discrimination will be made to its citizens based on
gender, caste, religion etc.” And yet Muslims and Christens face religion
based discrimination under this infamous Presidential Order 1950.
2. No Reservation but Fair Share under the OBC quota, wherein based on the
Mandal Commission recommendations, Muslims OBC castes constitute one third
(8.4%) of the 27%. Muslims, like Hindus MBCs, have also not got their
share in OBC reservation, as few powerful castes take away the chunk of
the OBC quota, say Yadavs in Northern India. Therefore based on the South
pattern of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and AP, Advanced OBCs, MBCs and
Muslim OBCs may be given Quota within Quota, as per their share. This will
be in total conformity with the spirit of reservation, where all get
Justice, a Just and a Fair Share.
3. No Reservation but Affirmative Actions for their effective
participation in the national mainstream by accessing education and
economic opportunities through a set of Affirmative Actions. Through
Special Component Plan of Rs. 25,000 crores, an annual budget of Rs.
15,000 crores may be created for Modernisation of the Madarsa Educational
Network and for opening new educational institutions for Muslims under
85:15 ratio, wherein 85% grant is by GOI and 15% by the host. Another
Budget of Rs. 10,000 crores to be created for their large scale skills
development programs, creation of small enterprises and other economic
opportunities.
4. No Reservation but Equitable Distribution under the spendings by all
economic ministries of the Central Government. The appointment of a
Monitoring Officer in each ministry or mandating the Ministry of Minority
Affairs to ask for status report on quarterly basis of the adherence to
the 15% spendings for minorities (10% exclusively for Muslims) will serve
the purpose.
5. Safety, Security and Sensitivity towards minorities. Suitable law may
be passed by the Parliament for the protection of minorities by covering
them under the Criminal Act, on par with the SC/ST Criminal Act. This will
ensure that harassment and profiling of minorities is not done. And in
cases of riots, blasts and terrorist activities, even before the
preliminary investigations are done, some Muslim names are flashed in
media, which not only affects the investigations, but create very negative
perception about Muslims in the society. Similarly, in cases of riots,
Strict Punishment to those responsible and Deterring Compensation to the
victims, (Rs. 25 lacs and jobs to the dependents of the victims), will
stop any riots in future.
We believe that if these measures are taken by the UPA Government, then
Muslims will be able to effectively participate in the national mainstream
and contribute to the economic progress and double digit growth of the
nation.
Thanking you and with regards
(M J Khan)
President
National Economic Forum for Muslims
502, Rohit House, Tolstoy Road, New Delhi - 110001
Tel. 011-23731128, 46569160 Fax: 011-23731130
Email: nefm06@gmail.com
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