By Pervez Bari for TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: The historic “India 2047: Empowering the People”, a project Document of Empower India Foundation, (EIF), released here on the eve of India’s 70th Independence Day.
The document was released on Tuesday by Justice Rajindar Sachar, retired High Court judge Delhi in a day-long National Conclave at the Gulmohar Hall of the India Habitat Centre.
The forenoon session was presided over by Maulana Mohammad Wali Rahmani, general secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board. The keynote address was delivered by Prof. Amitabh Kundu, Chairman of post-Sachar Evaluation Committee.
Justice Rajindar Sachar, retired Delhi High Court judge and Maulana Mohammad Wali Rahmani, general secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, seen in the centre.
Speaking after releasing the about 250 pages document Justice Rajindar Sachar said that Empower India Foundation has done such a stupendous job which the governments of the day could not do in the last 70 years of Independence. “India 2047” project is like taking up the cudgels to empower Muslims and other marginalised communities of India, he added.
Justice Sachar said a civilised nation is one where the minorities’ safety is guaranteed and they feel safe and secure. They get equal opportunities without fear and discrimination to prosper like other communities. This is a litmus test for good governance of any democratic nation, he exclaimed. He lamented that Equal Opportunity Commission, (EOC), a statutory body to check discrimination of minority communities in jobs and education, as recommended by him in his report has not been established till date despite the UPA-II government’s nod for it.
It may be pointed here that the Justice Sachar Committee, which went into the socio-economic backwardness of Muslims, had recommended setting up of such a panel. The EOC’s mandate was to ensure that no minority community is discriminated against on religious grounds by redressing complaints. It has to make binding recommendations that people from minority communities find adequate representation in government employment or educational institutions. EOC will also deal with grievances like denial of accommodation or buying rights to minorities in housing societies.
Maulana Mohammad Wali Rahmani in his presidential address described the India 2047 Document as a mission which will enable Muslims and other marginalised people to prosper and walk shoulder to shoulder with other communities by getting empowered by their own efforts. “Aaj Ka function Aik Naee Subah Ka Aaghaaz Hai” (Today’s function is the beginning of a new dawn), he remarked. He said if Muslims change their mindset then they can tread on the path of success by their own efforts without looking towards the government agencies or others.
Maulana Wali Rahmani rued that in the light of Justice Sachar Committee report many big announcements were made by the Central government but except scholarship schemes none benefitted Muslims directly. The Sachar panel’s report had brought to the fore the woeful condition of Muslims since Independence and they had been pushed back to be leading life worst than the Dalits.
Prof. Amitabh Kundu, while delivering keynote address explained through numerous graphs and statistics in his Power Point presentation the present position of Muslims and where they stand today vis-à-vis Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. He stressed the need of inclusive growth for overall development of the country. He said that the sense of insecurity prevailing in Muslims will have to be addressed on priority basis as in the case of SCs & STs if the vision of required growth and development has to be achieved. Social justice and parity in development is a must for inclusive growth, he added.
E. M. Abdul Rahiman, Chairman EIF, while welcoming guests and delegates said there no doubt India is developing and the wealth of this nation is growing. However, growth and development at the cost of social justice is a real challenge. The gap between the privileged and marginalised sections are also growing. Along with Tribals and Dalits, the Muslims are the victims of this unethical and unbalanced growth. He said: “Our dream is of a strong India. Strength of the people is the real strength of the nation. Our vision is of an all inclusive just India as the nation will remain handicapped till all sections are equally empowered. The Project Document “India 2047 : Empowering the People” is a community centred project, but not a communal project and is also a national project, he stressed.
Abdul Rahiman pointed out that alliance building with other classes and communities is a pre-requisite for the empowerment of a particular community in a plural society like India. Responsibility lies at the top and bottom levels. At the top are the duties of the governments of the day while at the bottom are the duties of concerned communities. This task cannot be accomplished by any single group, institution and organization. “Let us act as Agents of Change – volunteering, networking, micro-planning, execution, grass-root level system building etc.”, he exhorted
Mohammad Raphy, executive secretary of EIF, presenting the Project activities report said that as the first step of the initiative a concept paper was prepared and presented in November 2013. Later on brainstorming sessions were held during January-August 2014 on plans to empower the Muslim community in all spheres of life by 2047 – the dawn of the second century of India’s Independence. Six national seminars, more than 50 cities get-together programmes across 15 states of India, consultation with eminent experts in social development etc. followed.
Raphy informed 11 Focus Areas were identified and separate teams were constituted to collect data, conduct research and suggest possible initiatives to be undertaken. These 11 Focus Areas included: 1. Governance; 2. Economy; 3. Education; 4. Health; 5. Media; 6. Women; 7. Children & Youth; 8. Civil Rights; 9. Broad based Alliance; 10. Social Reformation and 11. Culture & Heritage. Three Support Areas viz. Human Resource Department, Finance & Marketing and Organization were also identified for the successful implementation of the project. About three years of arduous task culminated in the final draft of the Project report which was completed in June 2016. Now, this Project Document is being released today on the occasion of India’s 70th Independence Day, he added.
Project Document Editor Prof. P. Koya briefly introducing the document said that EIF’s “India 2047 : Empowering the People” project carries a vision, mission, focus areas, objectives and initiatives. It carries dreams and hopes within dreams and hopes of the destitute. The document has 19 chapters and is not merely a vision document but a vision-to-action project. The role of EIF is providing conceptual, intellectual and motivational support, creating awareness and reaching out to local teams, promoting pilot projects; identifying partnerships and implementation agencies, he said.
Other dignitaries who spoke in the occasion included: Prof. Mohammad Aslam, Vice Chancellor of IGNOU; Prof. P.K. Abdul Azis, former Vice Chancellor of AMU; E. Abubacker, Chairman of Rehab India Foundation; Kamal Faruqui, former Chairman of Delhi Minorities Commission; Adv. Sharfuddin Ahmed, vice president of Social Democratic Party of India;. Navaid Hamid, president of All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat; Prof. S. Sumayaa, Principal of TBAK College for Women, Tamil Nadu; Prof. Nishath Khalida Parveen, vice principal of Abbas Khan College, Bangalore.