By TCN News,
New Delhi: All India Muslim Majlis-E-Mushawarat (AIMMM), an umbrella body of several Muslim organizations, has put its weight behind the demand for a separate waqf administrative cadre. Sachar Committee had recommended the cadre for proper running of waqf boards and management of waqf properties but the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs did not find it feasible and trashed the recommendation.
“In order to safeguard Waqf properties and ensure the smooth functioning of waqf boards, Sachar Committee recommended the creation of a Waqf administrative cadre within the Indian administrative service comprising of Muslim officers as the non-availability of Muslim officers hampers the functioning of state and central Waqf boards. But the Union Minority Ministry, whose job is to implement schemes started as a result of the Sachar findings, is not in the favour of such a cadre. The excuses put forward are meaningless as the government itself deputes Muslim officers to run Waqf boards and a number of southern states already have an administrative cadre consisting of Hindu officers to run temples,” Mushawarat president Syed Shahabuddin said.
The Central Committee (Markazi Majlis) of Mushawarat met here on Saturday (6 August 2011), under the chairmanship of the national president Syed Shahabuddin, supported the recommendation and also demanded that the expenditure of waqf boards should be fully met by state governments.
The meeting, conducted by Working President of Mushawarat, Dr Zafarul Islam Khan, deliberated on milli, national and international situation, especially the issue of Jamia Millia Islamia’s minority character, Police atrocities at Forebesganj, Muslim community response to RTE vis-à-vis madrasas and minority educational institutions.
In the meeting, Central Committee of Mushawarat passed resolutions on various national and international issues like Mumbai bomb blasts, teaching of Gita in Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka schools, reservation for minorities, Subramanian Swamy’s hate-mongering and Forbesganj killings.
Mumbai bomb blasts: AIMMM condemns the bomb blasts in Mumbai on 13 July which have claimed the lives of 26 persons so far. Such criminal attacks run against the teachings and tenets of all religions. AIMMM welcomes the announcement of the Union and state home ministries that probes will not spare any outfit or group, though in reality the ATS and police forces have been seen active only in Muslim-concentration areas and even interrogating people already behind bars for years. A free and fair mind is required to unearth the conspirators who are after the peace and harmony in our country, especially the Hindutva outfits whose designs to subvert the constitutional system of the country are in the open after Aseemanand’s confessions.
Teaching of Gita in M.P. and Karnataka schools: The AIMMM is alarmed at the insistence of the BJP governments in M.P. and Karnataka to teach Gita in schools. M.P. schools are also teaching yoga and Surya namaskar while the Karnataka state education minister has said that those who do not want to study Gita should leave the country. AIMMM condemns this move and cautions that it will only fuel communalism in the country and will kill multi-culturalism.
Reservation for minorities: The Muslim community solidly and unitedly demands the implementation of the Mishra Commission recommendation for 15% reservation for minorities, including 10% for Muslims. AIMMM condemns the current attempts to dilute this recommendation and to somehow accommodate Muslims in the OBC quota, which is not practical and Muslims will not get more than 2.9 percent under it. As past experience shows, Muslims will not be able to benefit from a mixed quota sharing with others. Such an insignificant quota will only rob Muslims of their right and will lead to unnecessary friction between the Muslim community and OBCs. Hence, implementation of Mishra Commission recommendation is the only solution to this issue.
Subramanian Swamy’s hate-mongering: AIMMM takes note of a highly provocative article Janata Party president and former M.P. Subramanian Swamy has published recently in a Mumbai newspaper calling for many undemocratic steps including disfranchisement of minorities who do not proudly own up their Hindu roots and the demolition of 300 mosques across India starting with Gyanvapi in Varanasi. Constitutional authorities, especially the Election Commission, should make sure that a person holding such rabid fascist views does not benefit from the freedoms allowed by Indian democracy.
Forbesganj Killings: The AIMMM condemns the killing of innocents at Bhajanpura in Forbesganj by Bihar police on 3 June 2011 when democratically and peacefully protesting villagers were attacked by Bihar Police killing four innocents including a child and a pregnant woman. The Bihar government has failed to take action against the criminals in khaki and has not paid compensation to the killed and injured victims. AIMMM demands Nitish Kumar government to urgently suspend all police personnel who took part in the crime, arrange their quick trial and without delay pay proper compensation to all the victims of the police brutality. The AIMMM also noted the futility of the current low level magisterial enquiry and demanded a CBI enquiry into the brutal firing.
Besides, Mushawarat also passed resolution on violations in Kashmir, entry of foreign retail chains, hurdles to renovate/build mosques, Lokpal, corruption and black money, Right To Education Bill, Communal violence bill and some international issues like Syria and Palestine.
The meeting was chaired by national president of Mushawarat Syed Shahabuddin and was attended by the following members: Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan (Working President), Abdul Khaliq, Mohammad Jafar (Vice President), Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umari (Amir, Jamaat-e Islami Hind), Amanullah Khan, Prof. S.M. Yahya, Ejaz Ahmed Aslam, Ahmad Raza, Nusrat Ali, Nusrat Shervani, Ahmad Rashid Shervani (General Secretary) and Prof. Akhtarul Wasey.