By Syed Zubair Ahmad,
When Shri Salman Khurshid was made President of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee some years ago a slogan made rounds among the workers of Congress Party in Lucknow: ‘Maanga tha Musalman bhej dia Salman’ (We wanted a Muslim as our leader, but they sent Salman). The slogan was political in nature and so it did not question his faith. I too don’t have any doubt about the faith of Shri Salman Khurshid. But the slogan has some elements of reality — it highlights his inactive approach towards Muslims and their welfare, and also the fact that even secularist Congressmen don’t accept Khurshid as a leader who has concerns about the most backward and discriminated community of India.
Salman Khurshid, Minister for Minority Affairs, India
In fact at present most of the Muslim leaders in Congress party are facing the same credibility deficit. They have no acceptability and accessibility among the Muslim community and the community also takes them as Show Boys of Congress.
On 13th July 2011 there was a discussion on the topic of “South Asian Minorities: Enemies of the nations or Survivors of the Violence”? (In the light of Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to justice and Reparations Bill 2011 and Enemies Property Bill). The seminar was organized by SAMLA (South Asian Minorities Legal Association) at India Islamic Cultural Center. When the discussion was on, the newly appointed Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid (who was already holding minority affairs portfolio) arrived to grace the occasion. It was his first public meeting after becoming the Union Law Minister. During the discussion an Alig advocate interrupted and raised the issue of discrimination against Muslim lawyers and judges in judiciaries. He questioned why not a single judge had been appointed in Delhi High Court or lower courts in last 20 years while many Muslims qualified the written tests but couldn’t make it to the interviews. The Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid was not convinced with the point, so he quickly replied: ’There is one judge in Delhi High Court, Mr. Badar Durrez ‘. By saying so he tried to explain that there is no discrimination against Muslims at all and everything is ok. Does this mean that Sachar Committee Report which admitted and documented discrimination against Muslims in every walk of life is fake?
When the discussion ended many were not convinced with Khurshid’s reply. The high court judge whom Khurshid referred to was an advocate and was elevated as an additional Judge of the Delhi High Court. Moreover, the father of minister Salman Khurshid, Mr Khurshid Alam Khan had been a cabinet minister and governor while father of Badar Durrez, Mr. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad was president of India.
Minority quota
Last year during a function Shri Khurshid had questioned the relevance of Sachar Committee Report by saying ‘Sachar Committee Report is not Quran’. This year during assembly election in UP he declared that 100% recommendations of Sachar committee had been implemented, but recently he decreased it to 90%. The fact is major recommendations of historic impact have been thrown to dustbin by the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
Sachar Committee and Ranganath Mishra Commission had recommended 10% fresh and individual quota for Muslims. Khurshid came out with 4.5% quota – that too not for Muslims alone but for all constitutional minorities like Sikhs, Jains and Christians who had never asked for reservation. Moreover, that 4.5% quota has been carved out of the 27% OBC quota. This is not going to benefit Muslims who do not come under OBC category.
Muslims noted it wisely and outsmarted Khurshid in the UP elections even when he promised 9% quota for Muslims during campaigns. They did not give any importance to this political gimmick and Khurshid could not secure victory for her wife — Louise Khurshid lost even her deposits.
Waqf Bill
How Waqf properties worth over Rs. 120 billion are being plundered and mismanaged is a known fact. Only in Karnataka Waqf properties worth 2 lacs Crore had been looted in last ten years. To stop this loot and plundering Joint Parliamentary Committee as well as Sachar committee had given some very valuable recommendations like waqf development and waqf cadres of civil servants but most of their recommendations were completely ignored and not included in Waqf bill 2010 drafted by Union Ministry of Minority Affairs.
Underutilization of MsDP funds
Recently the Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment (2011-2012) has sunbed the Ministry of Minority Affairs for underutilization of funds allotted for the Multi-sectoral Development Program (MSDP) in Minority Concentration Districts (MCDs). Since the inception of MsDP in 2008, an amount of Rs. 2359.39 Crore has been released out of which only Rs. 1174.93 Crore i.e. 49% were spent. The panel has criticized the minority ministry for casual approach towards the program. Surprisingly first amounts were not spent on those schemes which were not started, more surprisingly even the funds were not utilized on the schemes which are already running.
This is the performance of the Ministry which is under Salman Khurshid. In fact the honorable minister has no time for such things. Who cares if Rs 1185 Crore is not used for the New Dalits (Muslims) of India?
Muslim political leaders forget the fact that their party gives them tickets only from Muslim dominated constituencies and Muslims send them to Parliament and they become ministers. Unfortunately after becoming MP and minister they forget their community. They should learn a lesson from Lalu, Paswan, Mulayam and Mayawati.
(Syed Zubair Ahmad is a Writer & Journalist. He can be reached at [email protected])