By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: Union Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid today in New Delhi held an interaction with about two dozen Muslim community representatives and activists drawn from across the country. Different issues including Muslim reservation, communal violence bill were raised by the invitees and the minister put his views on these issues.
Among the prominent people who participated in the meeting include Prof. Jawaharullah of TMMK,Ejaz Alam of Jamaate Islami Hind, and represantative of Muslim Education Society (MES), Kerala.
Emerging from the meeting, Prof Jawahirullah, Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazagham (TMMK) president, told TwoCircles.net about the two-hour-long meeting and issues he raised in it.
The minister, Prof Jawahirullha said, assured the gathering that the government was serious about Ranganath Mishra Commission Report that has recommended reservation to the Muslim community and other minorities, and seriously implementing Sachar Committee report.
Taking part in the discussion, Prof Jawahirullah put the issue of Ranganath Mishra Commission, Communal Violence Bill, Urdu and other minority languages in Tamil Nadu, PM’s 15-point program and minority education. TMMK leader also made a written submission comprising all these and other issues.
On Mishra Commission, the minister said: We are taking necessary step to implement the recommendation of the Sachar committee report. Regarding Mishra Commission we are studying the report and also awaiting the judgement in Andhra Pradesh Reservation case. He was evasive in his reply.
On Communal Violence Bill, he said the bill has been passed in the cabinet. However, I would discuss the matter with Home Minister and Law Minister. TMMK leader had said the bill will be useless unless responsibility of law enforcing officers is fixed.
On the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee to monitor PM’s 15-point programme, Salman Khurshid said there is already a mechanism which has been recommended to be in place in every state. A monitoring committee has to be formed with MPs to oversee the implementation of the programme.
When his attention was drawn to the education policy of Tamil Nadu government where the fate of minority languages including Urdu appears bleak, the minister said he will look into the matter.
Other issues raised in the meeting included Interest Free Financial system, affiliation of Minority colleges by Central universities.