By TCN News,
New Delhi: Jamiat Ulema-I-Hind has expressed grave concern at non-inclusion of religion and language in the form for Census 2011. The move has caused serious apprehension among the minorities as they see it as a deliberate attempt to deny them their basic rights and privileges, Jamiat President Maulana Qari Sayed Mohammad Usman said.
Qari Usman drew the attention of the Prime Minister of India towards non-inclusion of columns on religion and language in the census form 2011. He has also conveyed the same apprehension through the Minority Commission to the concerned authorities. But so far no action has been taken in this direction. He stressed that religion and caste columns should be included without further delay.
“Non-inclusion of religion and caste columns in the census form has caused serious apprehension and it is creating an impression that this is an attempt to deny basic rights and privileges of the minority community. This move of the government is violating constitutional rights of the minority which Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind will never condone, Jamiat leader said.
Maulana Mahmood Madani, leader of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind said that it is a good sign that the Prime Minister while accepting the ground social reality had assured to include caste column, however it would remain incomplete unless columns on religion and language were included. He further said that India was recognised as a multi-religious country at international level. If this identity is erased then it will cause great damage to our pluralistic identity.
Maulana Madani asserted that Sachar Committee report highlighted the social and educational backwardness of minorities especially Muslims and it was hoped that the government would take appropriate action for their upliftment. But if during this census Muslims are not identified as a Muslim then on what ground the government will devise policy and programme for their upliftment. Therefore the Government must include columns of religion and language in the census form.