Religion, Caste And Tribe Based Reservation - 4

11-12-2006, 08:43 AM

Quota for Dalits who reconvert: HC QUOTEChennai: In a significant order, the Madras High Court has ruled that a Dalit born to Hindu parents who had converted to Christianity, on reconversion to Hinduism, is entitled to quota benefits provided to SCs.
A division bench comprising Justices Dharma Rao and S K Krishnan allowed a petition by R Shankar, who challenged the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission's (TNPSC) rejection of his application to the post of civil judge under the SC quota.

The judges said the question involved was whether a person, whose ancestors belonging to a Dalit community before converting to Christianity, could be regarded as an SC on reconversion to Hinduism.

In the case, Shankar's ancestors were Hindu Adi Dravidas who had converted to Christianity. But he had reconverted to Hinduism. His conversion to Hinduism was recognised by people belonging to the community.

However, Shankar's claim that he had the right to enjoy the benefits of other SC candidates and that he was eligible for the post of civil judge under the SC quota had been rejected by the TNPSC.

The petitioner's parents were Hindus before converting to Christianity and therefore his reconversion to Hinduism was acceptable. Hence he was entitled to enjoy the rights and benefits enjoyed by other people belonging to SC communities, the judges said.

They said he was entitled to be appointed as civil judge under the SC quota and quashed the TNPSC order.

11-12-2006, 08:21 PM

<img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dry.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='dry.gif' /> Muslims welcome SP move on Reservations
[ 12 Nov, 2006 1608hrs ISTPTI ]

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LUCKNOW: A section of Muslims on Sunday welcomed the Uttar Pradesh government's decision to bring a resolution in the assembly demanding inclusion of Muslim and Christian Dalits in the scheduled caste category.

"The SP is the only party in the country which has taken an initiative to exert pressure on the Centre to bring Dalit Muslims within the ambit of reservations," All India United Muslim Morcha vice-president M A Siddique said.

Siddique said if the resolution is adopted by the Assembly and the Centre brings a bill to make an amendment to laws, Muslims would support SP in UP and the Congress elsewhere.

The SP government is scheduled to move the resolution in current session of the state assembly in its next sitting on November 22, after which it would be sent to the Centre.

The resolution seeks the immediate scrapping of the provision in the Constitution that excludes Muslim and Christian Dalits from the ambit of reservations.

**acharya** · 11-12-2006, 11:35 PM

Religion-based quota against Constitution: BJP

New Delhi, Nov. 12 (PTI): Terming reservation on the basis of religion against the spirit of the Constitution, BJP today made clear that it would oppose any move of the Congress-led UPA Government to introduce reservation for Muslim community.

"The Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) has talked about Muslims not getting their fair share in Government jobs and other employment schemes, we would like to state that the BJP will oppose any such move," BJP President Rajnath Singh told NDTV.

Reservation on religious grounds was against the country's Constitution. "We have opposed setting up of the Sachchar Committee and we will continue to oppose it in the Parliament and outside," Singh was quoted as having said by a release from the television channel.

However, Singh added "if Muslims as a community are not benefiting from the country's progress, we have to find some ways to help them".

The BJP president termed the Prime Minister's comment about infighting between Atal Behari Vajpayee and L K Advani as "frivilous" saying he should not have commented on the internal affairs of another party.

"It was frivolous of the Prime Minister to make that comment. Advani and Vajpayee have had an outstanding record of coordinating working inside and outside the Parliament," the BJP President said.

Moily favours reservation for Muslims

New Delhi, Nov. 12 (PTI): Amidst the raging controversy over quotas, a senior Congress leader has said that reservation for Muslims should have been part of the Constitution.

"Dr B R Ambedkar, one of founding fathers of Constitution, had favoured in the draft of the Constitution Article 296 for the benefit of minorities, especially Muslims...after partition that was abandoned....It should have found a place in the Constitution," Veerappa Moily, heading the Administrative Reforms Commission, said.

At the same time, he said inspite of the absence of the provision, the Muslims could be put in the "mainstream" with OBCs to get quota benefit.

The contention of Moily, who headed the Oversight Committee that went into the issue of reservations for OBCs in educational institutions, is that the backward classes are getting the quota benefit not because they belonged to any religion, but they were socially and educationally backward.

Observing that there were people in minority communities more backward than the OBCs, he said that "if they (Muslims) fulfill the criteria for backward class as laid down under the clause of socially and educationally backward, they should definitely be put in the mainstream with OBC".

Moily's remarks assume significance as they come close on the heels of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement favouring "fair share" for minorities in jobs.

The Prime Minister had said that schemes meant to target specific problems in education, health, employment and shelter have not flowed "equitably to the eligible sections amongst the minorities".

The former Karnatka Chief Minister said the Muslims could be given reservation both in jobs and education. Himself a prominent OBC leader, Moily, as Chief Minister over a decade ago, had provided reservation to backward Muslims in the state under "OBC umbrella". It was not challenged in any court as it was implemented after carrying out a thorough survey of the socio-educational aspects, he claimed.

The attempt by the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh recently for five per cent quota to Muslims was struck down by the High Court in the absence of a survey of the people concerned, he said.

Manmohan Singh government has already set up a committee headed by Justice Rajinder Sachar to go into the socio-economic and educational status of the Muslims.

"Just because they belong to Muslim community, they cannot be denied reservation," Moily said adding that there were people in the community who were far more backward than the OBCs.

To buttress his point, Moily said that no separate Bill was necesssary to include them in the quota regime if they fulfill the backward criteria.

Moily said Karnataka model could be emulated at the national level while implementing reservation for Muslims. Four per cent out of the 11 per cent Muslim population benefitted from the OBC quota.

Noting that the Congress has been in the forefront in taking steps for the welfare of the backwards, he said that the first amendment to the Constitution regarding OBC was moved by the late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and "Congress gave voice to the people".

On the 27 per cent reservation for OBC students in Central Universities and elite institutions of higher learning, Moily said that reservation for OBC students in IITs and IIMs was the "biggest achievement".

Asked about the formula to be followed in the implementation of quota regime in unaided educational institutions, he said the model suggested for the aided institutions could be followed for the unaided bodies also.

Disfavouring entry of foreign education providers in the country at this stage, Moily said setting up of many more public and private institutions will lead to talent explosion in the country.

This, he said, can turn India into a superpower in education. "If Silicon Valley in the US is mostly managed by Indians and the alternate Silicon Valley at Bangalore is managed by them, so this will not be a difficult task. Only we have to change our mindset," he said.

----------

11-13-2006, 11:06 AM

QUOTEIndia Inc affirm commitment, say no need to enforce quota
Pioneer.com
Rajeev Ranjan Roy | New Delhi
Ahead of a crucial meet between the industry and the Government on job reservations in private sector, the organisations representing Indian industry said they have already started affirmative action and there is no need to enforce quota through legislation.

"The industry is doing good works by executing many affirmative actions for SC and ST. There is no need of any legislation in this regard. Our commitment to uplift them through affirmative actions is solid and sound," Anil K Aggarwal, president, Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), said.

The industry players are scheduled to meet a high-level meeting on November 15 to discuss the scope and parameters of the code of conduct on affirmative action.

This meeting would follow the meeting of group of ministers (GoM) headed by Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on November 14 to deliberate on the prospects of reservation in the private sector in the wake of resistance to any legislation from the industry.

The recommendations of GoM would prominently surface in November 15 meeting that is likely to be chaired by TKA Nair, principal personal secretary to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Nair heads the new committee constituted by Singh to devise ways and means for adequate share of SC/ST in the private sector.

"We will apprise the Government of what the industry has planned for the future to help out SC/ST at different levels through various affirmative measures. Though such efforts are voluntary in nature, we are doing them as a part and parcel of our social commitment," Aggarwal said.

The representatives of ASSOCHAM, FICCI, PHDCCI, CII, Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India, Builders' Association of India and Federation of Indian Mineral Industry are likely to participate in the meeting.

The Government would be represented by LK Joshi, secretary, Department of Personnel & Training, Veena Chhotroy, secretary, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Meena Gupta, secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs and KM Sahni, secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment.

As per the official circular issued by the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the proposed meeting would 'deliberate on preparing a code of conduct on affirmative action to be progressively adopted by the industry and to formulate a way to compile information on SC/ST persons employed by the industry.'

"The industry has initiated measures to train SC/ST in different trades they are known to run successfully and effectively. We have plans to utilise the vast network of Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) for imparting industrial training to SC/ST persons," Anjan Roy, adviser, FICCI, said.

Echoing him, Marut Sengupta of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said that the industry was committed to implement the 'concrete steps' as enumerated in the CII-ASSOCHAM action plan on affirmative action for SC/ST. "Targeted efforts are being made to help out SC/ST persons at all possible levels," he added.

As per CII-ASSOCHAM action plan, the industry in the first year beginning October 2006 would create 100 entrepreneurs from SC/ST, establish coaching centres in ten universities for 10000 students, open 10 coaching centres to prepare SC/ST students for professional and technical courses, and establish 100 scholarships.

The debate over the quota in private sector assumed critical proportions in July when Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Meira Kumar announced that the time was running out for the industry, and that reservation was to be done at the earliest.

She, however, could not proceed further, as the Prime Minister's Office did not give her the green signal. Prime Minister Singh finally set up the Nair committee to oversee the progress on the affirmative action for SC/ST.

Committe wala made another committee. Please let me know when he makes century. Babu apni babugiri si nahi jayega.

11-13-2006, 05:07 PM

QUOTE(acharya @ Nov 12 2006, 11:35 PM)Religion-based quota against Constitution: BJP

Observing that there were people in minority communities more backward than the OBCs, he said that "if they (Muslims) fulfill the criteria for backward class as laid down under the clause of socially and educationally backward, they should definitely be put in the mainstream with OBC".



The conclusion above is at odds with many other studies. A study of 4 states in India by Srinivasan & Srinivasan, 2005, in the journal "Demography India," using the data from the NFHS 2 survey (a national level demographic and health survey), show that in some states like TN and UP, the muslims fare much better economically than Hindus. In TN, for example, 24.8% of hindus, as opposed to only 12.9% of muslims and 15.% of christians, fall under the economically deprived category, whereas 53% of muslims, as opposed to 51.1% of christians and only 33.2% of Hindus come under the well-above deprived category.

If you compare the muslims with some categories of OBCs that are economically well-off, the muslims might appear to fare less well. But that's because these OBCs are those who are economically well-off (like the Naidus in TN) and don't need the quota system in the first place. But, when you compare the muslims to many other SC and ST groups among hindus, the muslims are way better off economically.

QUOTEThe attempt by the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh recently for five per cent quota to Muslims was struck down by the High Court in the absence of a survey of the people concerned, he said.

Absence of a survey?? So, now the government comes out with another cooked-up Mandal-type commission report, based on fabricated survey and results. As a result, , the muslims get special privileges over poor deserving hindus.

utepian · 11-14-2006, 01:03 AM

Cricket commentator and former IIM A Grad Harsha Bhogle in Indian Express:

QUOTEThat match in Ahmedabad will be delicious from another point of view. In the capital of a state run by the BJP and often accused of pro-Hindu sentiments, two young Muslim boys from under-privileged families will open the bowling for India. For all those who say that opportunities in India are limited to some, the message is: pull a plaster on your lips and go home and work your butt off for that very opportunity; the way Munaf Patel and Irfan Pathan did.

11-14-2006, 11:45 PM

QUOTECommunal quotas 
The Pioneer Edit Desk
This way lies folly and disaster
All of a sudden, unable to cope with mounting social and economic problems, not to mention the rapid collapse of the national security system, and the attendant criticism, the UPA Government, more so the Congress, has begun to voice the demand for communal quotas. What began as a bizarre move by the Congress Government of Andhra Pradesh to declare all Muslims as "backward" and reserve seats in educational institutions and jobs for them, is now fast snowballing into a clamour with insidious undertones. It would seem that even before the committee headed by Justice RS Sachar has formally submitted its cockamamie report on the socio-economic status of Muslims to the Prime Minister, others in Government, including those representing the Congress's 'secular' allies, are tripping over each other to demonstrate their commitment to the empowerment of minority communities by advocating communal quotas. Leading the pack is Union Minister for Minority Welfare AR Antulay who wants the Government to impose quotas for "Dalit Muslims" and "Dalit Christians" which are, in reality, fictional communities. For, neither Islam nor Christianity recognises the Hindu caste system: A Muslim or a Christian cannot be a Dalit. In fact, conversion to either faith is propagated among Dalit Hindus as a means of escaping their debilitating caste identity. What Mr Antulay is proposing, with more than wholehearted support from the Congress, is deceitful and dangerous: It is an attempt to justify the obnoxious demand for communal quotas by making it appear as a move to empower Dalits. Such disingenuous demands, as also those voiced by politicians who are brazen enough to push for communal quotas without any riders, should be rejected unambiguously and without allowing any spurious debate. Since the Congress appears to have conveniently forgotten that Jawaharlal Nehru was opposed to the very idea of communal quotas, it would be instructive to recall his famous denunciation that "this way lies not only folly but disaster".

Indeed, a special committee set up by the Constituent Assembly, after elaborate deliberation on the issue of communal quotas, rejected the idea in its entirety. Sardar Patel, summing up the committee's views, told the Constituent Assembly, "In the long run, it would be in the interest of all to forget that there is anything like a majority or a minority in this country and that in India there is only one community." Nehru seconded Patel by asserting, "If you seek to give safeguards to a minority... you isolate it... keeping it away from the main current in which the majority is going." Such was Nehru's abhorrence for communal quotas and his insistence that Muslims and Christians should not be given the benefit of reservations that his Government specifically defined the beneficiaries of Article 341 of the Constitution as Hindu Scheduled Castes and four Dalit groups among Sikhs - Kabirpanthis, Ramdasias, Sikligars and Mazhabis. Subsequent Presidential Orders and amendments, which extended the benefit of quotas to all Dalit Sikhs and neo-Buddhists, protected the stand taken by Nehru and Patel from being subverted. Five decades later, those who claim to be the inheritors of Nehru's vision of India - Patel has long ceased to be part of the pantheon of Congress leaders - are busy demolishing the cornerstone of his quota policy, their eyes lusting for Muslim votes.

11-16-2006, 02:39 AM

QUOTEThere is no caste in Islam 
Pioneer.com
Shuja-ul-Haq | New Delhi
Reservation should be based on economic criteria
The Ulema is of the opinion that reservation for followers of Islam can be on the basis of economic criterion. Since Islam is a casteless religion, a caste-based quota for Muslims could go against the tenets of the religion.

"Yes, Islam is not a caste based religion and by saying this we mean that there has to be no discrimination. But if people are identified on the basis of their economic condition it won't be against Islam. This is practically for the purpose of identification, as people are identified for Zakkat, a process in which it is made mandatory for the well-off to give money to the underprivileged," says Mufti M Mukarram Ahmed, Shahi Imam of Fatehpuri Mosque.

While a debate in different quarters is raging on the issue of reservations for Muslims, the community feels it is naught but politics. "It is about giving the less privileged what they deserve for the betterment of the whole society but unfortunately politics is being played on such an issues also," says the Mufti.

Commenting on the need that Muslims should also be given a helping hand on the basis of their economic status, the Mufti further adds, "Article 341 of the Constitution provides the status of Scheduled Caste to Dalits. It also provides special aid and facilities for the advancement of Scheduled Caste people in every walk of life. But para 3 of the Article bars the members of religious minorities. Practically this is injustice for all members of the minority communities.

"A Muslim dhobi is a dhobi by profession just like a person of any other religion who does the same work. He is called a dhobi as he is identified by his profession. So if they decide to give reservation by identifying the weak sections it won't be against Islam." <!--emo& Big Grin

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--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' />

The raging issue is such that many believe that any move may polarize the society, something the Ulema doesn't agree to. This justification remains that Muslims are a part of this country and if the country has to progress each section has to be given equal attention.

"It has been proved that certain sections of Muslims in this country are backward. So if something is done for those who are backward, I don't think any responsible citizen will mind. In fact I believe that there would be many people in the majority community who will support this cause."

11-17-2006, 03:38 AM

QUOTEQuota out of context 
The Pioneer Edit Desk
Government must trust India Inc
The rejection by Indian business leaders of the Government proposal to draft a legislation making reservation in the private sector mandatory is based on sound reasons. Indeed, the Government would be ill-advised to perceive the considered and collective response of India Inc as a gesture of defiance - as Minister for Commerce and Industries Kamal Nath seems to be doing - and issue provocative statements that could be construed as a threat to Indian business to sign on the dotted line, or else... For that would hardly work to the advantage of any section, leave aside the intended beneficiaries of affirmative action. After all, what is so contentious about India Inc calling for voluntary affirmative action? Why must everything in the country be legislated? Is there an absence of trust between the Government and India's internationally respected business leaders? Are Mr Kamal Nath and his supporting Ministers, Messrs Ram Vilas Paswan and AR Antulay, trying to tell the people that they cannot take such unimpeachable business leaders as Mr JJ Irani and Mr Rahul Bajaj, among a host of others, at their face value? It ought to be remembered that just one remark from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, that the industry must take steps in affirmative action for a more inclusive society, led the business leaders to set up the CII Affirmative Action Council working in tandem with ASSOCHAM. It would only be right if the political class acknowledged the promptness with which India Inc has responded and, instead of giving the impression that "Government knows best", and impelling many to recall the worst days of licence-permit raj, worked with the industry to find just, rational and the least disharmonious ways to uphold social justice. Striking combative postures on an issue as sensitive as this would be calamitous: Quite apart from the fact that it will fly in the face of the liberalisation regime, whose chief architect is the Prime Minister himself, such a legislation will also lead to a virtual flight of capital and potential investments to other countries, for instance China.

The Union Ministers in favour of legislation are sadly missing these points. For them, a piece of legislation - it doesn't really matter in what slipshod way if at all it's enacted, it's implemented or not implemented - is all that they need to go back to their voters and claim credit for unlimited proliferation of job reservation. Such leaders must be told of more effective ways to encourage affirmative action. Why, for instance, can't incentives be given to private business houses to encourage the practice? Motivation is the key to effective leadership, and the Government, instead of appearing divided over the issue - the Prime Minister has not exactly been bouncing off ultimatums to India Inc on a legislation for affirmative action as Mr Kamal Nath is doing - must work within the broad paradigm and contours of the liberalisation regime instead of going against it.

11-17-2006, 07:28 AM

11-17-2006, 09:08 AM

Bodhi,
You missed it, Its on page 2 of this thread. <!--emo& Big Grin

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' />

11-17-2006, 12:44 PM

Kalam slams 'dependency syndrome'QUOTE
Doing some plain speaking at a biennial conference on anti-corruption organised by the CBI, Kalam said, "Wherever there is an independence to perform, we have performed well, whereas wherever we have created a large amount of dependency through complex policies, procedures and subsidies, our performance has been stunted and transparency diminishes."

In this context, Kalam cited the phenomenal growth of the information, communication and technology sector despite severe constraints.

"There is a need to introspect on this dependency syndrome which we have created. We need to remove these dependencies systematically and allow people to perform in a competitive environment in the global market," he said.

RIght man wring place, he should be India's PM, and Moron Singh should go back to World bank or OIC bank.

Reservation and quota policy encourage mediocracy and discourage meritocracy.

11-18-2006, 12:15 AM

QUOTEJaitley rips Sachar report apartÂ 
Pioneer News Service | New Delhi
'Constitution has no provision for religion-based quota'
With Justice Rajindar Sachar submitting his report to the Prime Minister on Friday on the conditions of Muslims across the country, the BJP cautioned the Government against using the findings of the report to introduce religion-based reservation.Â

The report is silent on reservation for Muslims but talking to media persons after submitting the report, Justice Sachar said, "It is (reservation) for the Government to decide."

The report will be placed in the winter session of Parliament before it is made public. However, its contents have already been leaked to a section of the media.

Pointing out that the Constitution has no provision for religion-based reservation, Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary Arun Jaitley asked the "UPA Government not to use Justice Sachhar Committee report as the launch pad for the religion-based reservation."

Jaitley referred to the statement made by some union ministers and said this had generated doubts among the people that the Government was thinking of religion-based reservation.

Jaitley accused the Congress of not allowing Muslims to join the country's mainstream by doing little precious to socially, economically and educationally uplift them. "This is what the Congress did during the past 50 years of its rule in the country. The country abused the Muslims as the vote bank. The Sachhar Committee is a case in point," Jaitley said.

"The Congress is indulging in sheer minorityism for the sake of vote bank politics. It is least bothered about the real welfare of Muslims in the country. The BJP wants that every possible effort should be made to upgrade the country's poor and backward masses economically and educationally, irrespective of their caste and religion," Jaitely said.

He said that his party would extend all possible help to the Government in implementing developmental works for them in the country. "Does the Congress want their upliftment is the moot question. At least, the party's track record does not suggest so," he said.

The BJP leader said that his party would make a detailed comment on the report only after going through the contents and recommendations. "So far as whatever has appeared in the media is suggestive of the fact that the Committee has recommended quota for Muslims. If it is so, the BJP would oppose it, as it is unconstitutional," Jaitely added.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had set up the seven-member Sachar panel in March for preparation of report on the social, economic and educational status of Muslim community of the country. Other members of the committee include Saiyid Hamid, TK Oommen, MA Basith, Rakesh Basant, Akhtar Majeed and Abusaleh Shariff. Its tenure was extended up to November 30.

Sources said that the report emphatically stated that the Muslim community is "lagging behind other religious groups in most development indicators," and recommended the Government to formulate appropriate measures to address their educational and economic backwardness.

"Such a data is necessary for planning, formulating and implementing specific programmes to address issues," Manmohan Singh said after receiving the report.

The Prime Minister said that he wished wide debates on the report to enable a "national consensus" on how to improve the social, educational and economic status of Muslims.

The report stated that the community was "relatively poor, more illiterate, has lower access to education, lower representation in public and private sector jobs and lower availability of bank credit for self-employment".

"In urban areas, the community mostly lives in slums characterised by poor municipal infrastructure," the report mentions while specifying that there are considerable variations in their conditions across States and regions 
Muslim ruled India for 800 years and given two seperate countries and they call themselves backward.

11-20-2006, 12:48 AM

QUOTEReligious quota at no cost, says Advani
Pioneer.com
PT Bopanna | Bangalore
In a clear warning to the UPA Government at the Centre, senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha LK Advani on Sunday warned that his party would resist tooth-and-nail any attempt to introduce religion-based reservations for Muslims.

Addressing a rally here to mark 'Rashtriya Suraksha Sankalp Samavesh', Advani said: "We strongly suspect that the UPA Government is going to use the Sachar Committee report to introduce religion-based reservations for Muslims. Some ministers in the UPA Government are openly talking about it. The BJP forewarns the Government that this move will be resisted tooth-and-nail."

Advani cautioned the Muslim leadership against falling into the trap of "vote bank politics" of the Congress. He said the Muslim leadership should take the lead in imparting scientific education to the members of the community.

Posing the question as to who was responsible for the socio-economic backwardness of a fairly large section of the Muslim community in India, Advani answered: "Who, if not those, who have ruled India for the longest period of time since Independence?"

Attacking the Congress leadership for going to the defence of Afzal Guru, prime accused in the attack on Parliament on December 13, 2001, he stated: "It was hard to imagine so pervert a manifestation of pseudo-secularism and vote bank politics."

Questioning the silence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the issue, the Leader of the Opposition remarked: "It is the duty of the BJP to expose this dangerous nexus between the Congress, Communist parties, and every stripe of pseudo-secularists, who, in their hostility for the BJP, have gone to the extent of defending the perpetrators and conspirators of the December 13 attack."

Advani took a dig at outfits who termed as "uncivilised" the Supreme Court order to hang Afzal Guru, while keeping quiet on the order of the apex court which also pronounced that the killer in the Priyadarshini Mattoo case should be hanged. "While one is an action against an individual, the other is an assault on the sovereignty of the country," he pointed out.

The BJP rally was held at the Bangalore Palace Grounds. Among others who addressed the rally were party general secretary Ananth Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and State BJP president Sadananda Gowda.

11-20-2006, 01:52 PM

muslim community in india is backward and they need special benefits but the reason for this backwardness is not neglect but their ignorance of laws of Indian judiciary(instead of sharia courts), non-impartation of modern maths and science education in madrassas and more importantly non-participation in health drives like polio immunization, family planning. If they participate in these most of evils would be automatically removed.

reservation is an evil concept which only leads to division of society, current caste based reservation a prime example.

If need be reservation may be provided on economic criteria to all citizens irrespective of caste or religion but only for fixed time frame and not like current SC/ST reservation which is being extended continously.

11-20-2006, 08:36 PM

QUOTEIf need be reservation may be provided on economic criteria to all citizens irrespective of caste or religion but only for fixed time frame and not like current SC/ST reservation which is being extended continously. 
Even in that case no need for reservation, but provide easy loan to them.

Equality should be Mantra.

11-21-2006, 01:43 AM

QUOTESoz against madarsa degree recognition 
PTI | Jammu
Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz on Monday said he is not in favour of the Sachar committee recommendation recognising degrees provided by madarsas.
"There should be a national curriculum for all," he said and referred to his visit to eastern Uttar Pradesh where he found that madarsa education was a compulsion for some school going children.

Soz said Muslims should be educated in modern government-run educational institutions.

11-21-2006, 07:25 AM

QUOTERecommendations of Sachar Panel 
Some key highlights of the recommendations are:
 Sachar panel finds that madrassa education is not the future. It wants more English and Urdu medium government schools in areas dominated by Muslims.

It also argues in favour of allocating 15 per cent of all Government funds to Muslims under all central schemes.

The panel wants more representation for Muslims in sectors like health and teaching.

It also recommends sensitisation of all government employees towards Muslim requirements.

But the big issue is reservation for Muslims. While Sachar panel avoids any reference to it, its silence is more than eloquent in a chapter on OBCs.

In this chapter, the general non-OBC Muslim is shown to be living in more degraded condition than the Hindu OBC.Â

Thereby a strong case is made for reservations for the entire Muslim community except the Creamy Layer.Â

11-22-2006, 01:44 AM

QUOTEProgress is both right and duty 
Pioneer.com
JS Rajput
The supporters of religion-based reservation have a great chance to wave the Justice Rajinder Sachar Committee report to further their movement. So will have their opponents. Political pundits will be busy assessing its impact on Uttar Pradesh elections. The contents of the report are sure to reverberate during the winter session of Parliament for days together, if not weeks. The debate is likely to follow the well-delineated political lines and shall certainly miss objectivity. Efforts to arrive at a national consensus may, in all probability, remain absent. Expectations and apprehensions would abound. Within the Muslim community, the report may generate hope. Politically oriented individuals, groups and political alliances on both sides of the power-divide could use its contents as a new tool to play politics.

This is not the first time since Independence that India has learnt about the inadequacy of the well being of the minority community. The essence of what the Sachar Committee has put on record is common knowledge. Successive Governments have made promises before elections, leading to persistent accusations of 'appeasement' and vote-bank politics. Ironically, these promises have generally been forgotten post-elections, especially after a Government has been formed. The Muslim community got practically nothing. Lack of awareness, education and forward-looking leadership has accentuated stagnation.

The UPA Government owes its stint in power to the plank of the much-hyped fear of "communal elements", projected as the enemy No. 1 of the Muslim community. These well-wishers get power and pelf; the Muslim community in return gets insecurity and isolation. In the early years of Independence, "others" could be blamed. Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad said, "It must be stated that the debacle of Indian Muslims is the result of colossal blunders committed by the Muslim Leagues' misguided leadership."

Who shall the Union Government now blame for the sad state of affairs of the Muslim community? Logically, it has to be the party that has held the reins of power for most of the years at the Centre and States. During the last 30 months, what have Indian Muslims got except the announcement of minority status to the Aligarh Muslim University, a ministry for minority affairs and a couple of committees and commissions, and reports of some of them?

Four decades of professional experience in a multi-religious educational system of the country, besides working in educational institutions at various levels, does entitle one to claim some acquaintance with the issue at hand. Last month, delivering a lecture in the Zakir Hussain College of Education, Darbhanga, I asked the audience of professors and students: Why have things remained stagnant with the minority community during all these years? The sum and substance of the answers was, "Because of the politicians and us."

I referred to a specific study conduced over 25 years ago, a reference to which is relevant at this stage. Titled "Equality of Educational Opportunity and Muslims", it was a doctorate-level research completed under my guidance in 1980. A senior faculty member of the NCERT, Mr BS Gupta, conducted the study in 111 schools of four districts of Western Uttar Pradesh that had a high Muslim population. Mr Gupta was a sociologist hailing from the region and familiar with its social dynamics. The districts were Etah, Etawah, Muzaffarnagar and Moradabad. The researcher interviewed 100 students along with 100 parents. Data was collected by using school information 'blanks' and two interview schedules. Students were from classes VI to X. Mr Gupta collected all the data personally, leaving no scope for ambiguity.

The findings of the study are summarised below:

The distribution of Hindu-Muslim population was 79:21; enrolments were in the ratio 93:7. The dropout rates were higher for Muslim children.

The pass percentage of Hindus was much higher than that of Muslim children.

The textbooks in Hindi, compulsory Sanskrit and social studies had contents with religious overtones, not to the liking of the minority community. A sense of their religion being ignored was evident.

Parents and children from the Muslim community wanted Urdu as the medium of instruction while the schools were all Hindi medium.

Only 10 out of 111 schools had facilities for teaching Urdu.

No Hindu student offered Urdu as a subject.

The prayers, the dramas, use of pictures and paintings, the writings on the walls in Hindi, the invitees and visitors to the schools indicated a cultural bias towards the majority community.

The contents of textbooks, the school culture, lack of facilities for learning Urdu and the absence of mother tongue as the medium of instruction created disinterest in students, leading to lower enrolment and rates and higher dropout rates.


No such empirical data indicating the present position is available. Based on intensive interactions and impressions, one can infer logically that nothing in the above context has changed in favour of the Muslim community. Yes, they are now more intensely identified as vote-banks and suffer that stigma for no fault of theirs. Those in the thick of things could simply brush aside the above findings as nothing new. I wish it were so to those who formulate policies for minority education and are always talking about the need to initiate more action in the interest of Muslims. They shall be doing so again as an Action Taken Report (ATR) has to be prepared on Sachar Committee report following certain procedures. The issue of quota will now shift from OBCs to religion-based reservation. In his autobiography, Government from Inside, NV Gadgil refers to the initial draft of Nehru-Liaquat Pact which was presented to the Cabinet by Jawaharlal Nehru: "Final two paragraphs in the agreement accepted the principle of reservations for Muslims in proportion to their population in all the services and representative bodies in the constituent states of India." It goes to the credit of Nehru that these were dropped, as the Cabinet did not approve of it. Even a peripheral perusal of the discussions of the Constituent Assembly would indicate why religion-based reservation was rejected and not included in the Constitution. Gadgil himself said in the Cabinet meeting, "These two paragraphs nullify the whole philosophy of the Congress." Has this statement lost its relevance?
Reservation or no reservation, Muslims or not, all those who lag behind deserve an extra-foot forward from those in power, as also from community leaders. They deserve primary school, a healthcare centre, a corruption-free public distribution system and sustained initiatives to provide public education to the opinion leaders of communities. This one step can do tremendous good to the beneficiaries.

11-23-2006, 09:10 PM

SP to oppose Women's Reservation Bill in LSQUOTESamajwadi Party would oppose the Women's Reservation Bill if it is tabled in the Lok Sabha in the present form and favours only 20 per cent reservation for the fairer sex, its leader Mulayam Singh Yadav said in Lucknow on Thursday.

He underlined the need for making amendments in the Bill to ensure that reservations for women were not done at the cost of men.

The UP Chief Minister said the erstwhile NDA government had agreed that there should be 20 per cent reservation for women and Atal Bihari Vajpayee had even conveyed this to him.

"If 33 per cent reservation was given to women, the total reservation including that for SC/STs would go up to 55 per cent leaving only 45 per cent seats for the men which would be discriminatory," he told reporters.

Even in countries like the US and UK there was no provision for reservation for women, Yadav said.

"Muslim, Dalit and backward women should also be included in the 20 per cent reservation for women as proposed by the Samajwadi Party," he said.

Yadav claimed that almost all MPs of major political parties did not favour 33 per cent reservation for women but their leaders were insisting on it.

This is wrong, women population is 49%, and they should get 49% reservation everywhere.
Now why he is comparing India to US and UK. In these countries there is no reservation for SC/ST or OBC or class based.

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