By RINA
New Delhi: In a meeting of Muslim leaders, lawyers, journalists, intellectuals and social activists, called by union state minister for the first time after taking charge of the ministry of minorities’ affairs, Mr. Salman Khurshid announced, “My ministry will make fresh attempts to vacate illegal occupation of Wakf properties under Public Property Act.” He also announced certain other measures for uplift of Muslim community.
Illegal occupation of Wakf properties has been old problem and if minister’s schemes works this time, a major problem will get solved and valuable resources shall become available for welfare of Muslim minority. Besides building Mafia, union and state governments have also occupied these properties. Delhi Minority Commission chairman Kamal Farooqui had raised the issue in the meeting. He also demanded permission for observing Salah in Mosques under control of archaeological department. Mr. Zafar Mehmood wanted a Muslim as Wakf Board CEO.
On Muslim education, the minister told, “State governments have been advised under SSA to open primary and girls schools in minority areas whereas KGBV has approved the scheme for 270 such blocks where Muslim population is 20 per cent or more. A scheme for comprehensive education at secondary level has also been devised for Muslim majority areas.”
Salman Khurshid said that Madrasa modernization is being revised in order to make it attractive and make arrangements for better remuneration to teachers and for providing books, educational aids and computers. Regarding teaching staff, he said that wholesome assessment is being made while recruitment approval has been given for Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.
The state minister told, “Three scholarship schemes have been approved for minority students and 30 per cent of these scholarships have been allocated for girls in all of them. Maulana Azad Foundation’s corpus fund has been increased from rupees 100 crore to rupees 250 crore so that the Foundation may diversify its activities.”
Divulging that ministerial task force has recommended a comprehensive survey of civilian facilities and opportunities of economic betterment in 338 first and second class cities having considerable minority population, Mr. Salman Khurshi said, “The exercise shall help install a data bank on social infra-structure facilities for various social, economic and religious groups.”
Informing that as per survey of backward districts 90 districts have been identified for priority schemes, the minister told, “All public sector banks have been instructed to open their branches in these areas in order to fetch easy loans and 496 banks have already been opened. Government banks have planned to increase quantum of loan to minorities from 9 per cent to 15 per cent during next three years.”
Dr. Zafarul Islam, editor, Milli Gazette, expressed concern over rampant unease among Muslims because of random arrest of Muslim youths and demanded stopping such raids. Mr. Salman Khurshid assured, “I will specially talk to the home minister and take steps for their rehabilitation and compensation.” But he did not give any details of expected relief.
Earlier, president of Zakat Foundation of India, Zafar Mehmood demanded government aid for welfare organization running coaching classes for Muslim IAS aspirants. Urdu newspaper Rashtriya Sahara’s Shakil Shamsi suggested that Minority Festivals should be organized in big cities in order to promote handicrafts traditionally adopted by Muslims.