Mumbai: The
statements made by Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid in last
few days have failed to impress the Muslim leaders and activists.
They are meaningless unless they are backed by concrete actions,
they say.
"Minister's statement that the
government has issued guidelines on communal harmony and is
committed for
prevention of riots and communal disharmony is a welcome
sign", says Ibrahim Ansari, a social worker.
"However", he adds, "Unless these
statements are backed by concrete measures on the ground level for
their serious implementation they are nothing but meaningless."
"Guidelines on
communal harmony have been issued by the ministry of home affairs,"
Salman Khurshid had reportedly said in the Rajya Sabha while
replying to a question related to the steps taken by the government
to address the socio-political issues of the minority community.
Shabbir Shakir of Pasban-e-Talim is
more vocal. "The UPA government during its earlier tenure
promised on more than one occasion to clear the Anti Communal Riot
Bill. But the bill is yet to see the light of the day. Why then the
government is not coming with any statement on this", he says.
Shakir was also critical of the
Minister's announcement about equal opportunity commission and other
schemes for the welfare of the minorities.
"The UPA government in its earlier
tenure as well as after taking charge again after winning the recent
parliamentary elections has announced several schemes for the
welfare of the minorities. However the government has absolutely no
mechanism to check whether the benefit of the schemes actually reaches to the
deserving people or not", he says.
Shakir was referring to Salman
Khurshid's statement that said, his ministry has selected five
schemes for the welfare of the minorities under its 100-day agenda
that aim to enable the deprived section of population, including the
minority communities, and create an efficient waqf administration
that could generate resources for the welfare of the Muslim
community.
"Moreover", he says, "The officials at
least in Maharashtra it seems are using all their efforts to stop
the benefits of these schemes from reaching to the people they are
meant for."
The Minister's announcements have also
failed in impressing Karim Salar who runs a chain of institutions in
North Maharashtra.
"The UPA government used the whole of
its earlier term for the announcements. Now it is starting them all
over again", he says before adding, "Owing to the tremendous support
the minorities had extended in the election to the United
Progressive Alliance (UPA) and specially to the Congress and
enabled them to form the government, it is now their responsibility
to ensure that the announcements are not only translated into
actions but they actually benefit the deserving people."
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