Dr Syed Zafar Mahmood,
It’s never too late to mend. Muslims take this with a pinch of salt in the context of the Congress’ additional manifesto declared in respect of minorities welfare. Major recommendations of Sachar Committee and Mishra Commission whose implementation will have far reaching positive bearing on Muslim welfare have so far been swept beneath the carpet by the UPA II. But, now that the Congress has realized, though midway through the ongoing polling for Lok Sabha elections, that it is going to be pushed to the wall, it suddenly recalled what all Muslims have been reminding it all these years and months.
Nonetheless, as of date, Congress is the only political party that has officially recognized through its election manifesto the major problems of Muslims and their solutions. Since Ramzan 2013, Zakat Foundation of India has been repeatedly bringing to the attention of the Congress leadership and its rank and file – through PowerPoint presentations, newspaper articles, media conferences and specially published booklets – its 20 points without whose consideration Muslims cannot be made to believe that the party is really interested in their welfare. They’ve repeatedly warned that mere lip service or surface-measures will no longer cut ice with the community.
However, it’s only in the context of the saffron onslaught that the Congress has, now, for once, decided to shed away its sense of fear of being dubbed as appeasing the Muslims while it genuinely addresses the need to restore justice to the community that has eluded them since independence through acts of commission and omission. Through its additional manifesto, Congress has accepted ten major points out of the 20-Points that have been vehemently pressed by the Zakat Foundation of India for about an year. These include (1) Delete the conditionality of religion from the definition of ‘Scheduled Caste’; (2) De-reserve constituencies with substantial Muslim influence and for that purpose immediately appoint the next Delimitation Commission with clear time-bound mandate to remove these anomalies; (3) Evolve procedure to nominate Muslims in public positions of power. (4) Earmark 67% for Muslims out of the Reservation to be made for all minorities – as Muslims constitute 73% of all minorities. (5) on the pattern of Scheduled Castes, create Special Component Plan in the Budget for Muslims for skill development programs and other economic opportunities; (6) Enhance Outlay for 15 Point Program to 19% of total plan allocation; (7) Act on PM Indira Gandhi’s letter of 1976 addressed to the chief ministers and vacate Waqf properties occupied by the Governments in the centre and states and restore these to the State Waqf Boards, otherwise pay lease rent at current fair market rate with arrears; (8) Publicize the central Madarsa Scheme (SPQEM) in Urdu & other languages; (9) Follow up and ensure implementation of the Central Urdu Teachers Scheme; (10) Ensure adequate representation of minorities among students and faculty in all educational institutions.
Now that the Congress has come up openly and has thrown down its gauntlet Muslims need to respond adequately and should vote for the party en masse wherever they feel that the party is otherwise in a position to deliver the seat. Hope, in the meanwhile, that the Congress leadership will come up with time bound plan of action to implement the various measures it has promised now – and no longer waiver under the rightist challenge.
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Dr Syed Zafar Mahmood, President, Zakat Foundation of India.