The discussion focused on the compulsion of the government to promote the idea of inclusive development and current situation of the Muslim community in the post-Sachar era.
“Constitutionally, the state is bound to build an inclusive, plural, secular and a just society and it is a duty of the state to equitably integrate its religious minorities and other vulnerable groups. Muslim Social exclusion is present in the society in various forms. The Muslims are socially, politically, economically, culturally, educationally segregated. Hence, Muslims of the state need immediate attention of the government and greater access to education, healthcare and other basic amenities to avoid poverty and social exclusion. Muslims need affirmative action just as much as other underprivileged groups, including Dalits and OBCs. They deserve social justice and equity as much as other deprived groups”, says Muhammad Siraj President of MPJ.
Afsar Usmani, General Secretary said that the amount of budgetary allocation by the state government for the development of minorities is also not sufficient. It needs to be enhanced substantially. The other distressing fact is that even this meager amount allocated by the government doesn’t seem to be utilized properly. It is also a fact that the communal violence has been a major concern for the people of minority communities in the state, he added. So far as the affirmative actions for the upliftment of the community is concerned, various panels had strongly recommended making special arrangements including providing reservations in education and employment, to bailout the community from the darkness of backwardness. Even Justice Rangnath Mishra and Dr. Mahmudur Rahman have strongly recommended the reservation. The reservations in jobs and education have been a very old demand of the poverty stricken community.
Everybody knows that the previous government had made a provision of reservations for Muslims in education and employment in the state of Maharashtra. Even though Hon’ble Bombay high court had scrapped the reservation, it had maintained that the community lags behind the education and recommended reservation in the education sector. But the present BJP government has done nothing to grant the reservation in the education sector, as a result despite of Hon’ble high court’s recommendations; the Muslim community is not getting the benefits of reservation in education.
The panel unanimously urged state government to take immediate steps to safeguard the interests of people belonging to the Muslim community and implement the BJP’s election promises, like “Sab Ka Saath Sab Ka Vikaas” by:
1. implementing the recommendations of Sachar and Mahmudur Rahman Committees,
2. ensuring the timely and proper implementation of Prime Minister’s 15 point programme and MsDP,
3. introducing a mechanism of accountability and public monitoring on the implementation of various minorities’ welfare schemes,
4. allotting educational grants and public contracts on the basis of the diversity index,
5. enhancing state’s welfare budget for minorities,
6. taking necessary steps to grant the Muslim community reservation in the education sector, as recommended by the Hon’ble Bombay High Court,
7. bringing the 'Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill in the state assembly to combat the targeted violence against the minorities.
8. constituting an Equal Opportunity Commission and the Autonomous Assessment and Monitoring Authority, as recommended by the Rajinder Sachar Committee.
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