By TCN News,
New Delhi: Under attack for his reported statement that sounds backtracking on the implementation of Sachar Committee report, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Salman Khurshid on Monday said that some aspects of the report “were not found feasible to implement even before I came to this ministry.” He also said that he is working hard to build a consensus within government on some recommendations of the Sachar report like Equal Opportunity Commission.
Replying to Kaleem Kawaja of Association of Indian Muslims of America (AIM) who has strongly reacted to Khurshid’s statement and sought clarification from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Minority Minister said that whatever he said is his assessment which could be wrong but he has “as much right to initiate debate as anyone else.”
Khurshid also said that each aspect of Sachar report “has to be implemented in a manner that contributes to national bonding rather than a self driven separation.”
“I am surprised that someone who argues for freedom to argue is himself falling prey to conservative thinking. Sachar committee remains the central part of our minority manifesto. But there are some aspects that were not found feasible to implement even before I came to this ministry. Other aspects like the EOC that I believe is the next generation equality and equity instrument I am struggling to build a consensus within government. But each aspect has to be implemented in a manner that contributes to national bonding rather than a self driven separation. My assessment might be wrong but I have as much right to initiate debate as anyone else. Debate not dictation must be our approach. The attempt to stifle debate speaks ill of us. I do sincerely hope that you will not approve of such undemocratic postures,” Salman Khurshid wrote in his reply email to Kawaja on 27th June.
Three days back Khurshid at a program in Chennai had reportedly said that Sachar Report is not Quran that it cannot be wrong or it must be followed blindly.