By Mumtaz Alam Falahi, TwoCircles.net,
New Delhi: The Students Islamic Organisation of India today released Students Manifesto for political parties and candidates and said it will urge the students community from across the society in the entire country to vote for the party or candidates who promise to implement this manifesto concerning students and youth issues.
Releasing the 25-point manifesto national president of SIO Suhail KK demanded check on commercialization of education, implementation of the Lyngdoh Committee report and allocation of 6% of total GDP for education. He said SIO on behalf of all students community will meet parties and candidates and apprise of the manifesto. He said he will meet all parties including the Left parties and the BJP.
(L-R) SIO GS Abdur Rafeeq, President Suhail KK, Public Relations Secretary Shahnawaz Ali Raihan
While supporting students politics in campuses Suhail KK said: what is required is removal of the negative aspects and effects of the campus politics, not the politics itself.
On Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s recent statement in which admitted that Muslims were harassed in the name of terrorism, the SIO president said: mere statement will not work; what is required is action which the UPA has government has failed to commit. “The UPA failed to ensure justice and protection of human rights of the minorities,” he said. SIO General Secretary Abdur Rafeeq and Public Relations Secretary Shahnawaz Ali Raihan also shared the dais.
On Batla House encounter, SIO leader said that NHRC guidelines have been ignored in this case as neither FIR was lodged nor any magisterial enquiry was conducted. While demanding disclosure of post mortem report of those killed in the encounter, he demanded judicial probe into the encounter. In the Batla House encounter in September 2008 in Jamia Nagar in Delhi, two alleged suspected terrorists were killed. A police inspector had also got bullet wounds which he later succumbed to.
“SIO believes that a true student must engage bravely in all realms of thought and action discerning all modes and methods of authorities of the era. This manifesto is one such attempt. This is not a party election manifesto. This is a strong reminder from the part of student community to the political parties and candidates that we will support only those who agree to the following demands,” said the organization.
The manifesto has the following demands:
1. Education must not be treated as a commodity for sale. Commercialisation of education will lead to severe social imbalance. Legislation must be made at the central and state level declaring the admission policy of private institutions and regulate the fees of private educational institutions.
2. Student Politics and elections must be allowed in all campuses subjected to the code of conduct laid by the Lingdoh commission.
3. Democratic rights of Students must be ensured in all Educational institutions. Student fascism in campuses must be curbed.
4. Right to Education must be made the fundamental right of every citizen. It must be ensured that free, compulsory and quality education is provided to all children up to the age of 14.
5. At least 6% of total GDP must be allocated for education.
6. The national and state education policy must be reviewed at least at every 10 years.
7. A regulatory law must be enacted to control the negative social and cultural effects of foreign direct investment in education.
8. Deemed universities have transformed in to mere commercial centres. The present guidelines related to deemed universities must be reviewed in such a way that only those institutions which meet the set superior parameters get approval.
9. The vacancies of teachers must be filled as soon as possible. Appointment must be on regular basis.
10. The Waqf properties must be protected and directed towards education and welfare activities of minorities.
11. Text books are used as dyes on which a whole generation is moulded. In a country which holds secularism as its creed, it must be ensured that due respect is given to diversity, pluralism, equity and justice. All text books spreading communal hatred and prejudices must be eliminated.
12. State level boards must be formed for free training of youths of socially backward sections of the society.
13. True investigations must be done on all the recent blast incidences and arrests of innocents. Special laws must be made to end human rights violations and communal witch-hunting under such circumstances
14. Ragging must be taken as a serious offense. The recommendations made by the Raghavan committee, appointed by the Supreme Court and the current rules must be implemented.
15. Current laws for curbing alcohol and drugs in campuses must be implemented.
16. Child labour must be strictly abolished.
17. Special facilities to get education and employment for women, dalits and adivasis must be ensured.
18. Promote a creative, free and fair atmosphere within the premises of educational campuses by which multi-dimensional personalities could develop.
19. The recommendations made by Ranganatha Mishra Commission for 15% reservation for the religious minorities, of which 10% exclusively for Mulsims must be implemented as soon as possible.
20. Form an autonomous Assessment and Monitoring Authority to evaluate the extent of development benefits, as recommended by Sachar Committee report.
21. Ensure proper implementation of 27% OBC reservation in Central Educational Institutions; extend OBC reservation to private educational institutions.
22. Minority status of Jamia Millia Islamia & Aligarh Muslim University should be recognized.
23. High school curricula should be adapted for Practical Learning and less memorization.
24. Affirmative actions must be adopted by the government to resolve the unemployment created by global economic meltdown.
25. Strict Laws should be formulated to promote the just ethical use of all technological means among student community. Porn websites should be banned.