By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Bengaluru: Karnataka Muslim Muttahida Mahaz (KMMM), an influential Muslim political lobby in Karnataka got a major accomplishment by getting their main demands accepted by top political leadership of the state unit of the Congress party.
KMMM had organized an indoor meeting in Daraul Salam at Bangalore with top Congress leaders like probable Congress chief minister candidate and leader of opposition Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president G. Parameswara, Congress chief election strategist C.M. Ibrahim, former union minister C.K. Jaffer Shariff and other key Congress leaders.
Pradesh Congress cheif Prameswara speaking in the meeting
KMMM which is a confederation of 28 Muslim organizations, both national and state based, and has reach in every district and taluka of Karnataka owing to the cadre support of its confederated organizations. Muslims religious leaders from every group were present in the meeting, including Muslim entrepreneurs, and social activists.
KMMM has prepared a public charter of demands by the Muslim community of Karnataka, which has stressed more on empowerment, security, development, education and administrative efficiency.
The charter of demands by Muslim community is as follows,
1. EMPOWERMENT
1.1 Fair representation to Muslims to be ensured in all local bodies and other administrative institutions starting from Village Panchayath, Zilla Panchayath, and town municipalities either through reservation, election, or nomination.
1.2 Due representation be given to Muslims in various commissions, corporations, boards, senates and committees, especially in the KPSC. The persons chosen for these posts must be highly respected, competent and senior members of the community without political affiliations.
2. SECURITY
A thorough re-look into two aspects: Communal violence and terrorism.
2.1 Communal Violence: The district authorities-administrative and police be directed strictly to contain the communal violence within 24 hours and bring the criminals to book and punish them severely. Any negligence on their part shall not go unpunished under the pretext of demoralization. They shall be suspended immediately and a high level enquiry shall be ordered against them and against the incident within a week. Such enquiries shall be completed within 3 months and action shall be taken as per the recommendations without fail.
The victims shall be compensated timely and adequately. In case of death the kin of the deceased shall be given a government job suitable to his/her education or skill. At least Rs. one crore be paid to the family of the deceased and Rs. 50 lakh for the loss of limb.
2.3 Adequate amount should be paid for other injuries. Compensation in actual be given for the loss of property. As a measure to control the riots effectively, the compensation amount shall be collected from the rioters and negligent officers.
2.4 The target over the next 5 years should be to rapidly increase representation of Muslims in the police force proportionate to their population. (In March 2013, Kolkata Police recruited a record 18.9% Muslim constables out of a total of 2354).
2.5 One Muslim police officer shall be posted at every police station in communally sensitive areas.
2.6 A time-bound training programme to sensitize police force regarding communal harmony and peace must be initiated.
2.7 Action against vigilante groups: Communal harmony in the coastal parts of the state has been significantly harmed by the division and hatred spread by right-wing forces. There have been numerous instances of harassment, threats, and violence against the Muslim and Christian communities by these vigilante groups, but hardly any action is seen to be taken against these law breakers. Every such instance shall be pursued vigorously to ensure justice is served and such outfits are banned.
Terrorism: The indiscriminate arrest of Muslim youth without evidence should be stopped forthwith.
2.8 In case the investigating agencies find any reasonable suspicion and immediate arrest is inevitable, the arrests shall be subject to review and confirmation as in case of the ANTI-GOONDA ACT. A review committee consisting of a sitting High Court judge, the Chairman of the state Human Rights Commission and the chairman of state Minorities Commission should be formed for this purpose in order to eliminate any kind of bias by the police.
2.9 Those arrested, detained and subsequently found innocent by courts and released shall be compensated and criminal prosecution against the officials responsible for arrests should be launched.
2.10 All the persons detained in the terrorism related incidents and completed one year in prison should be granted bail.
2.11 Special fast track court should be established to hear the terrorism related cases.
3. DEVELOPMENT
3.1 A Special Component Plan exclusively for Muslims: Budgetary allocation should be made in proportion to the population of Muslims in socio-economic upliftment projects. The budget allocated for Muslims shall be made non-lapsable, and full utilization of funds must be ensured through proper implementation.
3.2 The recommendations made by the state Backward Classes Commission (Ravi Verma Kumar Special Report) to increase the sub-quota of reservation to Muslims to 6% shall be implemented.
3.3 A new Chief Minister’s 15 point programme should be launched to ensure a minimum proportion of state schemes to minorities and development projects in Muslim concentration areas on the lines of PM 15 point programme at national level.
3.4 At least 5% of the budget of Department of Minority Welfare should be allocated to providing free site/houses to Muslims along with infrastructure upgrading like drainage, roads, electricity, drinking water etc.
3.5 A comprehensive socio-economic and education survey should be done by professional third party agencies covering all districts. Proper interventions can be planned only when correct data is available. The survey should commence within three months of new government formation and may be completed and results published within a year.
3.6 Increase involvement and funding to community NGOs to manage and operate hostels, Madrasas, orphanages, destitute/shelter homes etc.
3.7 Formation of State Minority Welfare Planning and Monitoring committees within three months of government formation
on the pattern of the Union Ministry of Minority Welfare, two state level committees i) State Minority Plan Advisory Committee and ii) State Minority Welfare Monitoring Committee shall be formed. These committees will function under the Department of Minority Welfare to assist in Planning and Monitoring of all central and state Minority welfare schemes and the PM 15 point programme schemes that are being implemented by other departments. These committees should be represented by academicians, retired judges, bureaucrats, accomplished professionals, and representatives of large NGOs who have no link or membership of any political party.
3.8 Strengthening of Wakf Institutions to increase self-sufficiency within community: Improved utilization of Wakf properties requires proper administrative back up by the state government in the following manner:
· Inclusion of the Wakf properties under Section 22A of the Registration Act.
· Complete survey and identification of Wakf properties across the state within two years and publication of complete report in public domain
· Wakf properties under state government occupation shall be restored back to the Wakf Board or rental/ leased should be increased at prevailing market rates.
· The DC to file criminal cases in the respective jurisdictional police station against all those involved in illegal transfer, alienation and occupation of WAKF properties.
· Supersession of WAKF Board and appointment of an Administrator with a HIGH POWER COMMITTEE under the Chairmanship of a Retired High Court Judge, serving and retired IAS/IPS officers and other eminent persons for development of WAKF properties with a mandate to complete the job within three years.
3.9 Creation of Minority-One help centres in all Minority Concentrated Towns and Taluks
Abdul Masood Qadar convener of KMMM reading out charter of demands
4. EDUCATION
4.1 Review school syllabus: From primary to university level the syllabus especially of languages and history subjects must be reviewed in order to make it more objective. Ensure representation of all religious groups to clean the distortions and prejudices that have cropped in and stop spoiling the young minds at source.
4.2 For imparting quality education to Muslim children, the Govt. shall start at least 100 KENDRIYA VIDYALAS in Muslim concentrated areas particularly in slums where 75% of seats shall be reserved for Muslims.
4.3 Meaningful steps and budgets to reduce drop-outs among Muslim boys and girls: An estimated 50,000 Muslim children are dropping out of school every year in Karnataka. There needs to be increased funding and commitment to ensure successful implementation of the “remedial coaching scheme”. As the current model of voluntary registration by schools for the scheme has not worked very well so far, the Directorate of Minorities must engage external professional agencies to facilitate improved implementation.
4.4 According to a statutory recommendation by the National Commission for Minorities, more girls-only high schools and hostels for girls should be set up in minority concentration areas with transport facilities and female teachers.
4.5 Separate Hostels for Muslim boys and Girls should be constructed in each district with the capacity of 100 students with the capacity of 200 students in Bangalore.
4.6 JUSTICE RANGANTH MISHRA COMMISSION REPORT recommended vide para 16.2.7: ” as by the force of judicial decisions the minority intake in minority educational institutions has, in the interest of national integration, been restricted to about 50%., thus virtually earmarking remaining 50% for the majority community– we strongly recommend that by the same analogy and for the same purpose, at least 15% seats in all non- minority educational institutions should be earmarked by law for the minorities as follows:
10% for the Muslims (commensurate with their 73% share in the total minority population) and the remaining 5% for other minorities. But in no case shall any seat within the recommended 15% go to the majority community”.
These recommendations which are totally legal, fair and justifiable shall be implemented by law in the state.
4.7 Establish NAVODAYA RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS in each district exclusive for Muslim backward children. Similarly 15% of seats should be reserved for Muslims in all the existing NAVODAYA SCHOOLS. Necessary provisions may be made by law.
4.8 Increase allocation to Directorate of Urdu and other Minority Language Institutions for teacher training. The Directorate of Urdu and other Minority Language Institutions in the Department of Primary Education must be provided with increased budget within teacher Training funds to implement teacher training scheme. This scheme must engage private NGOs/ training agencies specifically to enhance the capabilities of teachers in Government Urdu medium schools.
4.9 Special emphasis has to be given to filling the vacancies of Kannada teachers in Urdu schools.
4.10 Recognize Madrasa education: The state must recognize the students from Madrasa who have completed Alamiyat course as equivalent to Graduation, which should then qualify these students to jobs in the government as also admission into the college.
4.11 Strengthen minority educational institutions: Starting of CBSE/ICSE schools by minority institutions must be facilitated by ensuring that the NOC from education department is not refused or delayed. All minority educational institutions desirous of obtaining government aided status must be directed through the Directorate of Urdu under the department of Minority Welfare.
5. ADMINISTRATIVE EFFICIENCY
5.1 Facilitation centres on the lines of Bangalore-One are needed in order to raise the awareness among Muslims about the related schemes. It should facilitate applications, tracking and receipt of benefits. This should be implemented through professional agencies to manage and implement the scheme centrally, and NGOs to operate these centres at Minority concentration towns at taluk level.
5.2 Gram Panchayat/ Ward as unit of planning for implementation of MSDP in the state within three months of government formation: Budget allocated for Minority Concentrated Districts (Bidar & Gulbarga) under the PM 15 point Programmes should not be used for general purpose development of the district. It must be implemented by making the Gram Panchayat and ward (and not the district or block) as units of planning for educational and infrastructure schemes and their implementation, to benefit the Muslims beneficiaries.
5.3 Publication of disaggregated data on Muslims, along with other backward communities: All publications, analytical documents, study reports, and annual publications brought out by the various state government departments and agencies report the physical and financial progress data, amount spent etc. should be disaggregated into backward communities including SC, ST, OBC and Muslims separately, along with the total for the state, wherever it is applicable. Reports such as “Report on Representation of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in State Civil Services” brought out by DES must be extended to cover OBC and Muslims as well. This will help the community identify its status and achievement vis-à-vis various government schemes and benefits, and identify issues that need to be addressed.
6. GENERAL
6.1 Public Morality: Display of obscene figures and text through media, films and advertisements at public places must be banned. Likewise the sources of these evils- night clubs, disco centres should be banned. Prostitutions should be effectively curbed.
6.2 Effective measures must be taken to gradually prohibit alcoholic drinks, drugs, gutka and other intoxication substances.
6.3 The institution of Lok Ayukta must be made more effective and powerful in order to eliminate corruption in public life. Stringent action shall be initiated against politicians, bureaucrats and officers who indulge in corrupt practices.
6.4 The abundant natural resources of the country look like being auctioned to private individuals and corporate sectors. The common man is overburdened with number of taxes; subsidies meant for poor are rolled back and magnanimously poured upon the big business houses and MNCs. These pro-rich policies and practices shall be stopped.
6.5 The government should take care to provide basic needs like food, shelter, safe and clean water, sanitation and health facilities and good roads to common people especially the poor and slum dwellers.
6.6 Privatization of mineral and water resources shall be banned.
6.7 Our state shall be freed from Endosulfan and other pesticides and it should be converted to organic state in a phased manner.
Congress probabel cheif minister candidate Siddaramaiah interacting with Muslim leaders
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More demands:
Masood Abdul Qadar convener of KMMM put forward more fresh demands in the form of suggestions. He said, the CM seat should be held in rotation mode by oppressed communities, and a Muslim should get a place into the office. If it is not possible than at least a Muslim should be made deputy CM and the draconian Karnataka cow slaughter prohibition bill should be repealed.
Mahaz convener also mentioned that Muslims feel that Congress party has failed to deliver on its promises, and he also added that KMMM will not support candidates with criminal background even from Congress party.
Karnataka assembly opposition leader Siddaramaiah assured the gathering that many of the demands in the charter has already been taken up in Congress manifesto and some are in consideration of the party. He announced that Congress will form a special program for minority’s and reiterated that his party is committed in inclusive growth of Muslim community.
He also expressed his amazement to the KMMM activities and said when he was finance minister a decade ago no Muslim organization used to come forward with their problems and demands. So government often failed in planning programs directed at the welfare of the Muslim community. Siddaramiah moreover said the promises which Congress made wouldn’t be mere lip service and party will not abandon Muslims after getting voted to power. He said ‘Congress will be with Muslims, in their good and bad times’.
Karnataka Pradesh congress chief G. Prameswara said he has been in politics for past 25 years and for the first time he has witnessed Muslim coming together with their grievances. Prameswara candidly accepted that Congress has given many promises to Muslims but failed to deliver them, he regretted that congress lost its track in the past of fulfilling its responsibility for Muslim community.
Prameswara assured Muslim leaders that if voted to power Congress will implement all the promises and demands put forth by KMMM. He also promised that all political motivated cases including terror cases put on innocent Muslims will be withdrawn within 3 months of coming to power.
Iftiqar Qasmi state president of Jamait-ul-Ulema, concluding the meeting, said that he hopes the demands of KMMM and the promises of senior Congress leaders will be implemented. If they do not deliver, Congress leadership should be ready to face tough questions, after the elections, he added.
As the Congress leaderships accepted most of their demands, KMMM announced their support to the Congress party in all assembly segments, and said they will campaign and urged Muslims to vote for the party.
(With inputs from http://karnatakamuslims.com)
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