By TCN News,
Mumbai: It is true that Muslim representation in Parliament and state assemblies has never been sufficient since Independence but it is also a terrible fact that elected Muslim politicians have not given due importance to community issues. To make them united and conscious for problems of the community, 100 Muslim NGOs of Maharashtra organized a felicitation program on 21st January in Mumbai for both serving and former state Muslim ministers, MLAs and MLCs.
The program organized at Hajj House was to urge Maharashtra Muslim politicians to use their posts and approaches for solving the problems of Muslim community who have been left much behind from the national development line. Like other states, in Maharashtra which has seen a cycle of brutality and harassment against Muslims in the past, Muslim political leaders have failed to convince the government to curb that.
The program was an effort to motivate Muslim leaders to come on a platform leaving political affiliation behind for the cause of community. The organizers requested the leaders to announce a deadline for taking swift initiatives with the help of the present government in the state to prepare a blueprint on the issues that should be addressed urgently.
The program which succeeded to get the presence of almost all Muslim Ministers, MLAs and MLCs including former Ministers, MLAs and representatives of hundreds of NGOs earned much appreciation from the participants and they promised to remain united in the house for community interest.
In his 32-page keynote address on behalf of the organizers Maulana Burhanuddin Qasmi, Director, Markazul Maarif, and state spokesperson of All India United Democratic Front, urged leaders to give especial attention toward the implementation of Justice Srikrishna Commission report, Justice Sachar Committee report, Justice Ranganath Misra Commission report, betterment of Urdu medium schools in Maharashtra, protection of Waqf properties, provision for hygiene and health care system in Muslim areas and utilization of Prime Minister’s 15-Point Program.
Besides, the leaders were also requested to make all possible efforts for proposed Aligarh Muslim University campus in Pune. The proposed campus is still waiting for land allotment by the state government.
At the program, a resolution was passed to form a monitoring body by all the participating NGOs to facilitate proper communication among Muslim politicians and NGOs on issues related to the community.
The program was presided over by eminent scholar Ali M. Shamsi and attended by scholars, leaders, dignitaries, social activists and common people including, Baba Siddique, MLA, Nawab Malik, NCP MLA, Arif Naseem Khan, state Cabinet Minster, Mrs. Fauzia Khan, state minister for minority affairs, Hassan Mushrif, Minister for labour, Abdus Sattar Abdul Nabi, Minister of state, food and civil supply, Ameen Patel, MLA, Mufti Mohammad Ismail, MLA, Rashid Tahir Momin, MLA, Abu Asim Azmi, MLA, Pasha Patel, MLC, Naseem Siddiqi, chairman of state Minority Commission, Aness Ahmad, Suhail Lokhandwala, Yusuf Abrahani, Bashir Musa Patel, former MLAs, Dr. Zahir Kazi, Sami Khateeb, Haneef Shaikh, Advocate Khaleel Shaikh, Maulana Anees Ashrafi and many others.
The NGOs that organized the program included Jami’at Ulema-e-Hind, All India Ulema Council, Markazul Ma’arif, Movement for Human Welfare, All India Ulema Board, Mumbai Aman Committee, All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat, Urdu Markaz, All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Bombay Action Committee, Imam Education Society Aurangabad, Kokan Muslm Youth Foundation, All India Muslim Markaz, Muslim All Backward Class Organization, Mohammad Charitable Trust, Anjuman Bashindagan-e-Bihar, All India Tahreek-eZakat, Qaumi Majlish-e-Shura, Haj Pilgrims Social Welfare Group, Bihar Pranti Mazdoor Sangh, Hulq-e-Ahbab, Qaumi Majlis-e-Ittehad, Huda Social Front and Noor-e-Mohammad Muslim Jamat Trust.
[Photo by ummid.com]