By RINA
New Delhi: An amendment in National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions Act 2009 was yesterday introduced in the Parliament in order to empower the Commission with authority to decide whether an institution is a minority organization or not. Whereas ruling parties called it a ‘significant step’ for minorities’ education, Bharatiya Janata Party termed it as ‘minorityism’.
Introducing the bill in the parliament, state minister for HRD ministry, Mohammad Ali Ashraf Fatimi said, “The bill authorizes the government to nominate three members in the Commission. Besides, everybody will now enjoy the right to establish minority institutions.” Congress member Rashid Alvi said, “The union government had to take this step as some state governments were not allowing opening minority educational institutions. There will be a uniform law for all minority educational institutions after the passage of this bill.”
Left parties, however, raised objections against the bill, saying, “The bill will usurp state governments’ constitutional rights and only those people will be benefited who take education as a business.” A BJP member nodded to this view. Whereas Rashtriya Janata Dal member Ram Kripal Yadav said, “In view of right to education, the bill is of revolutionary nature”, Communist Party of India’s C. K. Chandaran suggested, “Instead, open discussion should be held in the parliament on honest implementation of Sachar Committee recommendations” and added, “Notwithstanding differences with any party, abrogating states’ rights is not a democratic practice.”
BJP’s Santosh Gangwar alleged, “Government is in a haste for getting this bill passed because it wants to divide votes in coming election but the exercise will not benefit Muslim society in any way.” But supporting the amendment, Majlis-e-Ittihadul Muslimeen’s Asaduddin Owaisi said, “It will be 61 years after independence that minorities will also be able to establish their educational institutions without facing any hindrance.”