New Delhi: Notwithstanding the
fact that the number of Muslims in the new Lok Sabha has reduced
substantially, the voice of community is heeded more vociferously
than even before. Whether it is railways budget, finance bill, the
general budget or any other issue the newly elected Muslim MPs as
well as some old one are wholeheartedly participating in the
discussion and debate and putting minority views credibly before the
parliament and the government. The regular observers of the
parliament proceeding see it as an interesting change in minority
leadership.
The Muslim
members of parliament particularly Mohammed E.T. Basheer of Indian
Muslim League (Ponnani), Abdul Rahman of DMK (Vellore), Badruddin
Ajmal of Assam United Democratic Front (Dhubri), Asaduddin Owaisi of
Majlis Ittahadul Muslemin (Hyderabad), Asrarul Haque Qasmi (Kishanganj)
and Azaharuddin of Congress (Mordabad) and others are leaving no
chance to raise the community issues.
The Muslim MPs
participation in the General Discussion and Demands for Excess
Grants of General Budget was remarkable. Not only more Muslim
members participated in it but also put the community view
vociferously.
Participating in
debate after the general budget Mohammed E.T Basheer said that there
was a kind of a fear complex that if you did something for the
minorities, your finger would be burnt. “We did a lot of things.
This Government was bold-enough to take some effective measures in
that. But it should be done in a time-bound manner” he pleaded.
Giving special
emphasis on the 93rd Constitutional amendment he said: “What was the
purpose of 93rd Constitutional amendment? 93rd Constitution
amendment is just a three-sentence amendment to clause 15 of the
Constitution. It says that the states can introduce reservation
system in all the educational institutions, whether it is aided or
unaided. What happened to that? Nothing has been done to that. I
would like to say that legislations are made, not to keep them in
cold storage. They are to be implemented. I request the Government
to take this very seriously and implement the conditions stipulated
in the Constitution amendment”.
Asaduddin
Owaisi who has been re-elected to the Lok Sabha in hard-hitting
speech made certain innovative suggestion for the uplifting of the
community. He said that Rs. 250 crore has been given in the Budget
for 3 scholarship schemes. “My request to the Government is that the
target should be increased to 50 lakhs and if you increase the
target to 50 lakhs, you require only an additional amount of Rs. 315
crore. This should be provided because this scheme is bringing a
great revolutionary change on the ground”, he said adding that the
scheme has brought big amount of excitement among the minorities
youths.
On Haj operation
Owaisi made some innovative suggestions: “Let there be a debate. You
are not giving Haj subsidy to Muslims; you are giving Haj subsidy of
Rs.620 crore to Air India. I am not saying this because I agree with
the line of BJP. I can never agree with the line of BJP, come what
may. What I am saying is that you are giving it to Air India in the
garb of Haj subsidy. My suggestion to the Government is to call for
open international tender. Why only Air India? If you do that, the
charter fare will come to 75 per cent of IATA return”.
He suggested that
with this Rs.20 crore which government gives should be given to Haj
Committee to gets buildings in Mecca and Madina on a long-term lease
because the biggest problem wherein the Government gets a bad name
when the Hajis go to Mecca and Madina. He also suggested scrapping
of tradition of Haj delegation.
“A sum of Rs.6
crore has been given for Haj delegation. It is a criminal waste, I
say. Why do you want to give it? If you want to send your party
people or any party people, let them go on their own fund. Transfer
this amount of Rs.6 crore to girls’ scholarship scheme. The
Government of India can be represented in Haj Committee, in Saudi
Arabia, by the Ambassador, by the Consulate”, he suggested.
He said that he
expected that at least Rs. 100 crore would be given for the
development of waqf properties but only 10 crore has been given for
the purpose. “The Government should identify 25 selected cities and
give Rs. 4 crore each for the development of waqf properties. The
reason why I am saying this is because according to Sachar
Committee, the market value of waqf properties is Rs. 1.25 lakh
crore and if that is invested, with 10 per cent interest return on
this Rs. 1.25 lakh crore worth wakf properties, we can easily get Rs.
12,000 crore annually and this amount can be utilized for the
uplifting of the Muslim community”
“I am amazed and
I can give you a glaring example that in Mumbai, the richest man in
India has constructed his residential building on a Yateem Khana
(orphanage). It is sickening. I do not know how he sleeps in the
night by constructing his palatial bungalow on a Yateem Khana, an
orphanage. Why has it happened? It is because the Waqf Act, 1995 has
no eviction powers”, he said.
On Islamic
banking Owaisi said that in 2007, a Committee was formed under Mr.
Anand Sinha -and the finance minister was also invited to the
function – and that Committee stated that the Government should
amend Sections 5, 8, 9, 16 and 19 of the Banking Regulation Act,
1949. Not only that, the present Economic Advisor to the Prime
Minister, who headed the Committee on Financial Sector Reforms,
recommended interest-free banking. “I would like to bring to the
notice of the Government that globally the market share of Islamic
banking is 500 billion US dollars and it is growing to the tune of
10 to 15 per cent every year. This is not Muslim-centric. It will be
in the interest of our nation. You require Rs. 500 crore for 10
years for the investment. Where do you get that money from?” he
asked. He assed that now funds are being diverted from countries
like UK, France and Malaysia and after 9/11 funds are also being
diverted from Europe and US to South Asian countries.
Joining issue
with Owaisi, Abdul Rahman of DMK said that Islamic Banking concept
was a very successful mode everywhere in the world. As this banking
mode is a vital one to do all sorts of banking business against
financial exploitations like undue and enormous amount of interest.
He informed that recently, a committee formed by Government of India
under the leadership of Raguram Rajan has revealed the necessity of
setting up Islamic banks in India.
“I humbly appeal
in this August House to take adequate initiatives to set up a
committee to establish Islamic Banks. If Government of India made
any special coordination from World Islamic Banking Forum, I am
ready to coordinate with our Government to have delegation either to
go to Islamic Banking Body or to invite them to visit us to have
essential interactions” he suggested.
He also said that
Rs.1, 740 crore has been allocated for Multi-Sectoral Development
Programme for the minorities was not sufficient. “Rajendra Sachar
Committee has exposed the ground reality and the matter of
pragmatism in this country in all respects and in all fields. The
Government of India should concentrate more on implementing the
recommendations in various fields by giving adequate funds. So, this
amount of Rs.1, 740 crore is really not sufficient, not enough” he
said.
Badruddin
Ajmal said that the Government of India should not limit the
Ministry of Minority Affairs into five to six incentive schemes.
“The amount of
Rs.1756 crore should be increased as NREGA and allocate Rs.39000
crore and for the Bima Scheme for the poor, a sum of more than
Rs.2500 crore should be allotted. In addition to increasing the
Budget” he said adding the Government should find out why nearly
fifty per cent of the estimated Budget is reduced in the Revised
Budget. He also said that the Government should ensure reservation
of jobs for Muslims in Government, Police, private sector and para
military forces.
“There should be
higher education facilities for minorities. The setting up of two
campuses of Aligarh Muslim University is appreciated but allocation
of Rs.25 crore only is not sufficient. I would demand that this
amount should be increased to at least Rs.100 crore” he said.
Apart from
raising the issue of sports and the local issue of Moradabad from
where he is elected Mohammed Azharuddin also touched issues like
Sachar Committee report. “The Government’s decision to give effect
to Sachar Committee recommendations and the increased budgetary
allocation of Rs. 1,740 crore to the Ministry of Minority Affairs
would go a long way in uplifting the minority community and bring
them at par with other sections of the society, thus contributing to
the overall development of the country”, he hoped.
Maulana
Asrarul Haque Qasmi while participating in the debate said though
Muslim community wanted to be educated but lack of facilities and
infrastructure stop them from going ahead particularly in the rural
areas.
“A special education development programme for girls should be
initiated. Research and training projects should be provided
financial assistance and a National Overseas Scholarship Programme
should be started for minorities” he suggested.
The issue of
Muslim Concentrated Districts (MCD) and fund released for them,
opening up of AMU complexes at more places, job for the community
are also raised by different members. Political observers feel that
if this trend continue Muslims are certainly going to benefit in the
coming days.
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