By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,
Kolkata: If came to power in West Bengal again, the Left Front government (the alliance is ruling the state for over three decades) will make compulsory at least 10% job quota for Muslims in all sectors of the Government. Chief Minister of West Bengal Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said this at a convention called by West Bengal Madrasa Teachers and Employees here on 27th March.
“We had been thinking how to give reservation to Muslims. The Ranganath Mishra Commission report has opened our eyes. If people from Scheduled Castes and Schedule Tribes can get reservation, why not Muslims? So, Left Front decided that if there is a vacancy of 100 seats, 25 will go to SC, 6 to ST and at least 10 will be given to the backward class Muslim community,” said the CM.
L-R: Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education Minister Abdus Sattar, CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Housing Minister Goutam Deb at Madrasa Education Convention 2011 at Rabindra Sadan, Kolkata on Sunday, 27 March, 2011
Commenting on the issue of OBC certificate to Muslims, the CM said: “I had enquired from districts, and was informed that lots of Muslims are getting the certificate. Due to shortage of employees, name registration process is going slowly.”
Regarding educational progress among the community he said this year 10 lac students appeared in the Madhyamik (Secondary) examination, among them 2.5 lac were Muslims. He also promised that the present number of 600 madrasas will be increased, and English will be included in their syllabus.
Mr Bhattacharjee asking the madrasa teachers & workers said: “As per recommendations of Sachar Committee & Ranganath Mishra Commission, which state has given Muslims reservation except West Bengal?”
Attacking the Congress-led UPA Govt at the centre, he said the government has totally failed to save Muslims interest. It did not implement PM’s 15-Point Programme. While not commenting directly on Trinamul Congress, he said for failure of central govt policies their alliance party TMC is also responsible.
He claimed that more than 600 crores of rupees have been allocated in the state budget for Muslims in West Bengal and no other state is doing that.
It is true that, after Nandigram incidents Left Front is losing their ground rapidly. That was visible in the Lok Sabha election held in 2009 where the ruling Left Front lost so many seats. Once their vote bank was Muslims but the Lok Sabha election results showed that Muslims are moving away from Left and towards either TMC or Congress.
So to recover their lost ground, the Left Front government declared so many projects for Muslims. They are trying to get Muslims support in favor of left front party in the coming Assembly election which will held in 6 Phases starting from April 18.
At the madrasa convention on Sunday, beside the CM, State Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education Minister Abdus Sattar and State Housing Development Minister Gautam Deb were also present.
It should be noted here that some years ago when BJP-led NDA Govt was at the centre then CM of West Bengal Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, commenting on madrasa education in West Bengal, had said madrasas are resource centre of ISI. Then the Muslim community had condemned his statement and demanded him to withdraw his comments. But he did not. However, chairman of Left Front in that period Anil Biswas later clarified that it is not true that, all madrasas are engaged in ISI activities. On that time Union Home Minister L K Advani had said he never saw a secular CM like Buddhadeb, and his comments about madrasa are significant.
The CM Bhattacharjee has long held the cabinet portfolio of Minority affairs & Madarsa Education. Abdur Sattar is now Minister of State at the same department.