By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
New Delhi : All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM) president Syed Shahabuddin has demanded clarification in the list of 90 minority concentration
districts issued by the Ministry of Minority Affairs here Friday last.
In a statement released here Tuesday, the Mushawarat leader said, "The criteria of selection in terms of proportion of minority population or the socio-economic and social amenities indicators have not been mentioned. This needs clarification."
"Apparently all Muslim concentration districts with more than 20% Muslim population in the districts," he continues, "have been included, except those whose socio-economic and amenities indicators are higher than the national average."
AIMMM president also points out the omission of minority concentration districts which lie in minority-majority states. "In such states districts with substantial Hindu concentration in J&K and Punjab which fulfil the criteria should be included," he said.
He also pleads for the same criteria to be applied to districts of Christian and Buddhist concentration in Christian-majority states in the North East.
"Since the North-east states have special development programmes, the inclusion of mini-districts from the region only dilutes the approach," he said.
"The overall picture is that out of 90 districts, only 69 appear to be Muslim concentration districts, states like A.P., Rajasthan, Kerala, Tamilnadu, MP, Gujarat have been wholly or almost wholly left out," he rues.
"The total Muslim population of those included may not exceed 35% of the national Muslim population. This is too small a proportion to make a visible impact on the status of the Muslim community in the state or in the country," the Mushawarat leader continues.
The AIMMM suggests that either all districts should be covered or the cut-off should be brought down to 15% for all recognised minorities.
It also awaits the announcement of area/problem specific special development programmes for the selected districts and their implementation and the results achieved by the end of the current financial year.