By Syed Zahid Ahmad,
There is nothing for appeasement of Muslims in the Union Budget 2014-15. Significantly there are just following two small para in 35 pages budget speech.
73. A programme for the up gradation of skills and training in ancestral arts for development for the minorities called “Up gradation of Traditional Skills in Arts, Resources and Goods” would be launched to preserve the traditional arts and crafts which are rich heritage.
74. An additional amount of Rs. 100 crores for Modernization of Madarsashas been provided to the Department of School Education.
There is no word about allocation of any specific fund for “Up gradation of Traditional Skills in Arts, Resources and Goods” and the allotted fund of “Rs. 100 crores for Modernization of Madarsas has been provided to the Department of School Education” under Ministry of Human Resource Development instead of Ministry of Minority Affairs.
So we don’t know what Shrimati Najma Heptullah will do for betterment of Indian Muslims in particular and all minorities in general? She has already stated that Muslims are too large to consider as minority. She must be relaxed by this budget. One could check the details of allotted fund for Ministry of Minority Affairs at following link web page – http://indiabudget.nic.in/ub2014-15/eb/dg68.pdf
Looking into details of allocating total amount of Rs. 3734.01 crores in the annual budget under Ministry of Minority Affairs, one can see that around 70% fund (Rs. 2,577 Crores) is allocated for grant in aid to state Governments, Union Territories, and North Eastern Areas.
Total fund of Rs. 1037.00 crores allocated for Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and Minorities. So one can understand what amount will reach for the welfare and development of minorities in general and Muslims in particular?
Modi Government has also declared its intention to devastate the Islamic education system led by Madarasa. The allocation of Rs. 100 crores to the Department of Education under the Ministry of Human Resource Development will clearly work for devastating the attention of students studying in Madarsa from Islamic education to modern education. This aims to produce cadre of Islamic scholars inclined more with modern education compared to Islamic education so that they can be used to endorse the demand of common civil code. If modernization of Madarsa is really meant, then the Ministry of Human Resource Development should aim to create centre for advance and applied Islamic education where pass outs of Madarsas can leant to apply studied Islamic education. For example if in Madarasa education the student leant about Islamic economic and commercial principles, they should be allowed to study managing the Interest free monetary system within existing economic and monetary framework. If such institutions cannot be developed on the name of modernization of Mdarasas, the Government should keep distance to devastate the existing Madarasa education system.
Hope Modi Government will invite Muslim scholars, and economists to frame development plan for Muslims in particular and minorities in general to put the community in line with other communities to have due share in fruits of good days (acche din).