All boards, committees and corporations under minority portfolio will also be replaced soon: Eknath Khadse, Maha Minorities Minister
By A Mirsab, TwoCircles.net,
Nagpur (Maharashtra): The recently formed BJP-SS coalition government in Maharashtra has decided to replace office bearers of the Maulana Azad Minorities Financial Development Corporation (MAMFDC) that provides loans to members of the minority community.
State’s Minority Development minister Eknath Khadse on Wednesday said the government has also decided to restructure other boards, committees and corporations under minority portfolio, members of which were elected/appointed during the INC-NCP government.
These bodies include Maharashtra State Haj Committee, Maharashtra State Wakf Board, State Minority Commission and the Maharashtra State Urdu Academy. Office bearers/members of these bodies are clearly not amused and have called it a political vendetta.
MAMFDC is a finance corporation, especially designated for minorities – focus on Muslims – to provide loans with negligible interest rate so that economically struggling families might find ways for earnings.
This is the first time in Maharashtra that there is no Muslim minister in the government and hence consequently, the minority development department, which monitors and controls the board – the post is held by a non-Muslim.
Addressing reporters outside Nagpur Vidhan Bhavan – winter session of the Maharashtra assembly is held at Nagpur every year – on Wednesday, Khadse clarified: “There will be no effect on the functioning of the MAMFDC after dissolution of its members, including its chairman, and till the time new members are appointed, officials of the state’s minority and finance department will look into its responsibilities”.
The decision of suspension of MAMFDC members was taken on December 4 but could not be formally declared due to technical difficulties, he said.
“We will soon bring revolutionary changes in the boards of minority department and shall include people from different sectors of the society, who would work for the social cause on priority and would not have any role in politics”, he said.
When told that the members appointed by earlier government in the Minority Commission were covered by the state Act allowing them to complete a full five year term, Khadse said, “We are presently studying all the related Acts and if it is found that there is a need to make changes in the Act, then we might do that and replace members in the Minority Commission, Boards or Committee.”
Outgoing MAMFDC chairman Javed Shroff, who spent just four months on the post, called this move a political vendetta and claimed that it would hurt the interest of the Muslim community. Apart from Shroff, 10 directors of the board have been removed too.
“I had met the minority development minister a month back and was willing to resign. He, however, asked me to continue. Suddenly, I have come to know that the entire board is being dissolved. No replacement has been announced. All this suggests that this is a political vendetta and this decision will hurt the growth of the Muslim community,” Shroff, who was appointed in July, told Indian Express.
Gulzar Azmi, who was appointed as a member of the Minority Commission a month before the assembly elections, too termed the decision to be politically motivated and totally unwarranted.
“There was absolutely no need of suspension of any member. New government should rather provide suggestions or guidelines for proper functioning of the department and such a move will definitely instill fear among the minority for whose benefit the portfolio has been introduced,” Azmi told TwoCircles.net.
“MAMFDC members, directors and its chairman are not governed according to any state Act, but other departments for which we are members are totally covered by the state Act and hence even if new government wishes to replace us, it cannot do it as they are bound by the Act”, he clarified.
“I have not received any official communiqué in this regards but have received an invitation from the Minority Commission secretary for a meeting in Nagpur on December 18, where a programme is to be organized on the theme ‘Minority Day’,” he informed.
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