By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Patna: The Telangana Muslim Joint Action Committee has made a presentation before the Srikrishna Committee in Hyderabad and submitted a 13-page memorandum with the Central government appointed committee looking into the case of separate Telangana state movement. The Muslim group gave details about the “discrimination of Telangana region, and Muslims,” in the united Andhra Pradesh since its formation in 1956.
While welcoming the formation of the Srikrishna Committee headed by Justice B N Srikrishna, the Telangana Muslim Joint Action Committee demanded immediate action for the formation of Telangana state by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh “to avoid further exploitation and colonization.”
Telangana and Andhra areas were merged in 1956 solely on linguistic basis, without least realizing that it was a merger of two unequal states, whose people had no common identity, history or administrative background nor the dialect, culture and food habits though they speak the same language. Before Independence, Telangana people were under Monarchy’s rule whereas people of Andhra region were administratively with Madras province, under British rule, with opportunities like English medium education, employment, industrialization and irrigation projects available to them. In the process people in Andhra region had become affluent, educated, enterprising and imbued with political awareness whilst comparatively people in Telangana remained backward and uneducated. Their backwardness continued after unification of Andhra and Telangana, says the Muslim group in the memorandum.
Talking to TwoCircles.net from Hyderabad, Mohd. Mushtaq Malik, President, Telangana Muslim Joint Action Committee, said the formation of Telangana will greatly benefit the Muslims and other communities.
The united Andhra state not only usurped several thousands of acres of wakf land, it also neglected the Urdu language, schools and even Osmania University which was once a Urdu university from where students would do even MBBS in Urdu, he said.
On why Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen is against Telangana, Malik said they are not representative of Muslims as they never fought elections in entire Telangana except some old city area of Hyderabad. Besides, there is a nexus between land mafia and MIM. That’s why they are silent when hundreds of acres of wakf land was sold by the government to a private company, Malik alleged.
Discrimination in employment
Detailing discrimination of Telangana in Andhra Pradesh today, the group said that geographically Telangana covers 41.47% of the state’s area while Rayalseema and Coastal Andhra cover 24.51% and 33.75% respectively. Telangana is inhabited by 40.54% of state’s population and Andhra region 41.69%. Telangana’s contribution to state revenue has been more than 50% throughout. But this lion’s share in land and population does not translate in employment.
“Roughly 15 lakhs jobs are there in both Government and Semi Government Offices. At least 41% of these jobs numbering to 6.15 lakhs should go to Telanganites in view of reservation. Whereas there are only 3 lakhs jobs to Telanganites i.e. less than 50% of their entitlement. Similarly out of 5000 employees in Andhra Pradesh Secretariat, pathetically less than 10% share goes to Telanganites,” says the group.
The Muslim group also gave details as to how Muslims of Telangana were targeted after the formation of AP as they were ruling community.
“It was an accident of fate that the ruler of erstwhile princely State of Deccan happened to be a Muslim. Liberation of State following police action in 1948 and thereafter formation of Andhra State in 1956, have both cumulatively resulted in targeting Muslims and their interest, by Andhraites in a systematic and planned manner. Muslims had to bear the brunt of injustice and harassment. Post-police action and thereafter formation of Andhra State resulted in ousting of 38000 Muslim employees of State Government at one stroke, under one order causing innumerable hardships to the victims and their families. Muslim employment in State Government, which was 41% in 1948, dwindled down to 3% as per Sachar Committee report of November 2006.”
Discrimination against Urdu
Muslims were systematically robbed of education by closure/degradation of more than 950 Urdu medium schools in Hyderabad since 1948 onwards despite increase in their population.
Pathetically 990 teachers post in 305 Urdu medium schools in old city of Hyderabad, remain vacant for the last 12 years. About 60% of sanctioned posts for Urdu medium both in government and aided schools have not been filled up, for want of government permission. By year 2012, all Urdu medium schools face threat of closure, if government delays granting permission for filling up aided vacant posts.
State Urdu Academy, since its formation, fails to provide Urdu Medium textbooks from primary to post graduation courses. Whereas State Telugu Academy publishes English and Telugu medium textbooks from primary to post graduation level for the entire state.
Loot of wakf properties
About 829 acres of Wakf land was sold for Rs.444.40 crores by state Government headed by Andhrite politicians in utter disregard of Hon’ble Supreme Courts ruling that Wakf properties can neither be sold nor purchased.
Directions given by Hon’ble High Court in writ petition No.2551 of 2006, filed by Andhra Pradesh Wakf Tribunal Bar Association, praying for making necessary appointments to vacant post to enable tribunal functioning with its sanctioned staff strength, remains unimplemented, despite lapse of 4 years.
Encroachment of Wakf properties by Andhrite politicians in Ranga Reddy District, i.e. around Hyderabad with financial impact of Rs.1 lakh crores failed to move state government to strengthen Wakf board with sanctioned infrastructure. Whilst Satyam Scam of Rs.7800 crores influences and motivates government speedily that special court commences its functioning in Red Hills Criminal Court premises from February 2010 i.e. within one year of reporting of the scam. Strikingly existing Wakf Tribunal functioning gets affected by non-provision of sanctioned infrastructure.
Welfare of minorities in AP
The allocation of annual budget for welfare of Minorities in the year 2008-09 amounted to 0.236% of the entire budget outlay. Similar was the percentage allocated during 2009-10 and 2010-11. Moreover, not even half the budgetary allocation amount is released, as is evident from 36% of allocated budget amount released during financial year 2009-2010.
Minorities Welfare Department and various other bodies dealing with Minority affairs are rudderless, deprived off sanctioned strength and funds. Not a single regular employee heads any of numerous minority institutions under the control of Minority Welfare Department, thereby literally crippling administration.
State Minorities Welfare Department stands devoid of 35% sanctioned staff, State Minorities Finance Corporation and State Wakf Board devoid of 50% sanctioned staff whilst state Minorities Commission devoid of 65% sanctioned staff. More than 40 posts related to Minority affairs, in numerous statutory bodies, boards, Academies and organizations are vacant for the last 12 years.