By Tarique Anwar, TwoCircles.net,
Patna: Muslims in Bihar had pinned much hope on Nitish Kumar, a socialist in his political origin though he was accompanied with saffronites, when he assumed office of chief minister in November 2005, but after three years they are disappointed lot.
The Muslim community was hopeful that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s 10-point programmes meant for minorities will deliver, but it couldn’t, observe community leaders. They rate his performance in the last three years close to disappointing.
The 10-point programmes included maintainance of communal harmony, arrangement of professional education for Muslim youth especially Muslim girls, modernisation of madrasas and timely payment of salary to madrasa teachers, appointments on all vacant seats reserved for minorities, strengthening of Urdu Academy for development of Urdu language and literature and appointments on vacant seats of Urdu translators in all departments.
Another important point of the programme was completion of enquiry of Bhagalpur riots, action against convicted and proper compensation and rehabilitation of survivors. But the government failed on several fronts, alleged Maulana Anisur Rahman Quasmi, general secretary of Imarat Shariah (Bihar, Jharkhand & Orissa) while talking to TwoCircles.net on phone.
He pointed out that even 15% of the schemes in his 10-point programmes have not been implemented so far. “He could not take any steps whose result can be seen on the ground in first three years of his government then how one can expect that he will do extraordinary for minorities in the next two years”, he said when asked about his expectation with the present Bihar government.
Whatever Nitish has done is only on papers or in his speeches on different occasions, said Maulana Quasmi. When this correspondent asked what changes he observes between previous RJD and present Nitish government he told: “Nothing, no significant change took place”.
The state government does not want to reconstitute Bihar State Shia and Sunni Wakf Board which stand dissolved for two and half years despite having its constitutional status.
TwoCircles.net also contacted Md Abu Quaiser, president of Muslim United Front and a leading social activist, to know his opinion on the performance of Nitish-led Bihar government. “BJP has 11-point programme for minorities, one more than Nitish Kumar, in its agenda. Can BJP do anything in favor of Muslims?” Abu Quaiser asked. He, however, appreciated Nitish’s two steps: monthly pension of Rs 2,500 to Bhagalpur riot victims (The demand was made by the Front) and 50% reservation to women including minority women in local bodies. He said this reservation has created political awareness in women.
He said that he has demanded the state government time and again to implement the Supreme Court order that says to give Rs 1800-2200 as salary to Imam and Muazzin of each mosque in the country, but the state government has not shown any interest to this demand.
He also alleged that the state government is giving pension to only 300 families of Bhagalpur riot victims instead of 853 as demanded by the Front.
He further said no government is going to do anything for this community. “We will have to get united on a platform to force the government to accept our demands.”