By TCN Staff Reporter,
Patna: Election promises to Muslims for their votes are nothing new. It’s their implementation which will be a novel precedent. So nobody is surprised when the manifesto of RJD-LJP has a huge list of promises for the community, including 15% reservation to minorities.
“Sincere efforts will be made to implement the recommendations of the Rangnath Mishra Commission with 15% reservation for minorities, of which exclusively 10% for Muslims in teaching institutions, Public Service Commission, Judicial Service Commission as well as state police service” the manifesto declares.
Interestingly, the alliance also tries to woo upper castes by promising 10% reservation for poor people among them.
Lalu prasad and Ram Vilas Paswan during an Iftar party in Patna. Photo: PTI
Releasing the manifesto RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav along with LJP counterpart, Ram Vilas Paswan assured that if their alliance comes to power, it will give special focus on the welfare of Muslim community and would work for surety of their security, dignity and representation of all government sectors.
How much effort the RJD-LJP alliance is making to win the hearts of Muslims of the state which form 18% of the total population, is quite clear by the huge list of promises targeted specifically towards the community.
The manifesto makes special promises for Urdu such as providing education in Urdu for Urdu knowing students at all primary schools, appointment of Urdu teachers, publishing the government advertisements regarding tenders and notices in Urdu, establishing girls schools in Muslim dominated areas and putting sign boards of all government departments in Urdu along with other languages.
With a special emphasis on Urdu, the Manifesto assures to introduce Urdu as medium of writing in all examinations conducted by the State Public Service Commission and appointment of Urdu speaking officials at every police station.
Besides, it says that the combine will take special care to solve the problems of the community in admission at schools and colleges, getting scholarship and providing adequate and timely salaries to teachers of minority institutions.
The alliance has also promised to appoint one person from minorities in each board, commission, corporations and committees.
Speaking on the occasion, Lalu Prasad said that a seven-member team of Muslim experts will be appointed to monitor government schemes for the community.
He also said that the special centre of Aligarh Muslim University will be opened in Kishanganj at the earliest and Maulana Mazharul Haque Arabic & Persian University will be allotted land for construction of its own building.
On the issue of Wakf, the manifesto says that RJD-LJP government will try to protect heritage and proper use of Wakf properties for the uplift of the community. For that all properties will be surveyed and computerized and historic Wakf building will be will be rehabilitated.
It also promises to form special anti-riot squads to control communal violence. Besides, it pledges to give compensation to the victims of all the communal riots which took place after 1984.Reconstruction of places of worship damaged during these riots also finds a place on the manifesto.