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[1] From: yogi sikand <ysikand@yahoo.com> Date: Fri Feb 24, 2006 Subject: Plight of Dalits in Pakistan: Report on Recent Karachi Meeting Initial Dialogue on Caste-Based Discrimination In Pakistan 17 ??“ 18 January 2006 ; Karachi, PAKISTAN [FORWARDED BY ASLAM KHWAJA, HYDERABAD, SINDH. <lathrolak@yahoo.com> Report Prepared by Rikke N?¶hrlind Coordinator International Dalit Solidarity Network www.idsn.org and Jhaman Lalchandani Senior Programme Officer Monitoring, Evaluation and Research (MER) Thardeep Rural Development Programme (TRDP) Mithi ??“ PAKISTAN See the full report at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mahajanapada ---------------------------------------------------------- [2] From: yogi sikand <ysikand@yahoo.com> Date: Fri Feb 24, 2006 Subject: Gujarat Muslims: Appeal to Rajinder Sachar Commitee C/o. Sanchetana O-45/46, New York Trade Centre, Nr. Thaltej Cross Roads Ahmedabad - 380054. Gujarat Phone: +91-79-26857848, Fax: 79-26843395 Email: ifieahdad1@sancharnet.in; sanchetana@sanhetana.org February 7, 2006 To Chairperson Justice Rajendra Sachar Social, Economic and Educational Status of Muslims Community of India Ahmedabad (In persona) Two consultations were held to discuss the socio-economic problems of Muslims in Gujarat (6-7 August 2005 and 29th January 2006) to be presented before the Prime Minister??™s High Level Committee. The issues listed below have emerged from these two consultations, which are presented for your perusal. Approximately Sixty people attended the consultations. 1. Education and educational institutes ??“ a. Census of 2001 shows that literacy level among Muslims has improved over last ten years, but drop out of Muslims is still very high and hence the number of students going to higher education and professional courses is abysmally low. The low number of girls in higher education is of particular concern. b. But the genocide of 2002 in Gujarat has adversely affected the education of Muslim girls and boys. Thousands of Muslim families have not been able to return to their original homes. Many do not go to schools because schools are far away or because of fear of new areas and school. This in long term will have adverse impact not only on individuals, but on the community and the country. c. More and more self ??“ financed schools are coming up, where the Muslim students, because of high fees can not go and so are forced to go to Government schools where the quality of education is poor, this results in poor performance at higher level and high drop out. d. Muslim Trusts are finding it increasingly difficult to get permission to open new education institutes. They are not given Grant in Aid by the Government. Hence to run institutes with community??™s own resources are very difficult. The situation is of concern because of the discrimination that Muslims face in every walk of life. e. In universities there are not enough Muslim teachers. We are convinced there are educated Muslims who are worthy to be University teachers Recommendations: 1. Muslim Trusts should be granted permission to open new educational institutes and Government must give them grants. 2. Education for Muslim girls should be free up to graduation. Socio-economically backward Muslims should be given scholarships or loans without interest. 3. Government must open schools, polytechnic colleges, libraries etc. in areas where large number of Muslims reside. Government should set up monitoring and evaluation mechanism to ensure quality education. 4. Special coaching classes, including English and Computer should be opened in Muslim dominated areas to reinforce modern quality education. 2. Economy & Employment: Majority of Muslims are economically backward is a well accepted fact. They depend on petty business. There are various hurdles in the way of their economic progress. We list few which if removed would go a long way in the economic progress of not only Muslims but of the country. a. It is very difficult for Muslims to get Loans from the Banks to start or expand business or for housing. Large areas of Muslims are branded as ???negative zones??? by Banks and credit cards companies. Any Muslim from these areas is denied Loans without any investigation into his/her paying capacity. There are large areas. i.e. Juhapura where two hundred thousand Muslims live, yet there is not a single bank. There are hundred of Petrol Pumps but dealership is not given to Muslims. The last Muslim, according to our information to get dealership was in 1972. b. Internally Displaced People live at far distance from their work places which cut into their meager income. Few options are available to them and their skills are downgraded. The economic and social ostracism of Muslims further impact their mental and physical wellbeing resulting in further deterioration of their economic status and self esteem. c. Gujarat Public Service Commission board is responsible for the final choice of candidates for various influential administrative posts. Enough number of Muslims appears for written test and passes out but fails during the personal interview. d. Government must take steps to ensure that enough number of Muslims are represented in Police. In Gujarat even senior IPS officers are posted in places that is less significant. e. Muslims communities have lot of artisans who despite being skilled were marginalized. The process of globalization has further marginalized them. Some of the skills that Muslim possess and still do not get enough returns are-brocade work, Zardoshi, crochet, terracotta, minakari, tie and dye, kite making and broom making. Recommendation: 1. Banks should be opened in or near Muslim dominated localities to ensure that the banking services are accessible to Muslims. 2. There must be members from minority communities in G.P.S.C selection committee. 3. Efforts must be made to improve skill of the artisans, financial support should be provided and should be helped in marketing their products. 3. Ghettoisation & Infrastructures: Forced displacement and emergence of large ghettoes of Muslims is most distressing and ugly reality of developing Gujarat because of vicious communal milieu. These areas are completely ignored and no attempts are made to provide infrastructure roads, transportation or health facilities. Hence the people living in these areas are finding immense difficulties in earning their livelihood. Juhapura with a population of 2, 00,000 and Bombay hotel area with population app. 50,000 have no health centre. Similar is the situation in many areas outside Ahmedabad. Recommendation: 1. Government must recognize these localities and provide all necessary infrastructure, sanitation, heath facilities, livelihood opportunities, etc. for dignified living. 2. Muslim free Zone??™ in Ahmedbad and Gujarat: a professional, high level scholarly study need to be carried out to ascertain the design behind this phenomenon and to work out the counter mechanism to arrest this process. An official affirmative action be initiated where encouragement and rewards are bestowed to the developers, builders who consciously promote co-habitation of the diverse communities Other Issues: a. Gujarat government has developed hundreds of housing colonies through Gujarat Housing Board but not a single colony is built in or near Muslim dominated areas. The badly segregated Gujarat needs that such colonies are developed in or near Muslims dominated areas. b. After closer of mills acres of land in Ahmedabad is available. Part of that must be made available for housing for socio-economically backward Muslims and for commercial purposes to Muslims. c. Wakf board has lot of resources and these resources are the ownership of Muslims. The inactive board needs to be reactivated and its enormous financial resources must be used for the development of Muslim communities. d. There are about 28th Muslims groups included in the list of OBCs but they have not been getting jobs either in Government for private institutes. For last three years the students belonging to OBC categories have faced immense difficulties in getting admission in academic institutes. There are many instances of cancellation of admission of OBC Muslim students after 2 or 3 years of studies nd thus their career were ruined. Some of the groups i.e. Agarias of Kutch should also be included in the OBC category. e. A monitoring committee / Legal authority should be created to deal with complaints of discrimination against Muslims. Dr. Hanif Lakdawala Dr. Shakeel Ahmed Ms. Sheba George Lakdawala Ms. Sofia Khan Mr. Indukumar Jani Fr. Victor Moses Mr. Gagan Sethi Mr. R. K. Saiyed Dr. Bachubhai Desai Mr. Ibrahim Shaikh Mr. Afzal Memon Mr. V. A. Isani Justice S. M. Pirzada Prof. Abid Shamsi Mr. Ajajkhan Pathan Prof. Mukhtar Chunawla Dr. B. B. Siddiqui Mr. Sohel Tirmizi Mr. Achyut Yagnik Mr. Girish Patel Mr. Mohd. Safi Madni Mr. Yusuf B. Shaikh Mr. Jamal Patiwala Ms. Gazala Paul Dr. N. D. Ghasura Mr. Mohd. Ibrahim Siddiqui Mr. Mohammed G. Desai Mr. Ahmed Shaikh Dr. Mehrunnisha Desai Mr. S.N.A. Kazi Mr. Vajir Khan Pathan Mr. Yusuf Saiyed Prof. M. G. Bombaywala Dr. Habib Kakiwala Mr. Mehbub G. Malek Mr. Faruk Bawani Dr. D. A. Kherada Mr, Haji Hasam Deda Mr. Vajid Hussain Saiyed Mr. Juned Shaikh Prof. Nisar Ansari Prof . Darshini Mahadevia Mr. M. D. Lohani --------------- [3] From: "sanjeev nayyar" <exploreindia@vsnl.net> Date: Fri Feb 24, 2006 Subject: UPA: Governing with a 20th century mindset, my article UPA: Governing with a 20th century mindset By Sanjeev Nayyar February 22, 2006 In the 1972 Lok Sabha polls Indira Gandhi's election slogan was Garibi Hatao. Thirty-two years later Sonia Gandhi's campaign centered around the aam aadmi or catering to the poor. The Congress party's poll slogan and review of UPA policies indicate that nothing has changed over the years. Some egs. Fetish for Control: a nontaxable perquisite of the Liberalization process was a reduction in the number of trips Indian entrepreneurs made to Delhi. Things seem to be changing now. A July 2004 notification states that any construction project under certain defined categories based on sewage discharge, quantum of investment etc has to obtain environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment & Forest, New Delhi. Regulate by all means but decentralize approving authority. Downlinking Policy 2005 too increases centralization. From time to time steel minister R V Paswan threatens to impose price controls on steel companies or fix wholesale/retail margins in the pharmaceutical sector. This is a manifestation of the 1970's mindset that induced centralization, price controls and mistrust of markets. This eventually leads to delays and corruption. Increase Confusion, Paperwork: Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) & Cash Withdrawal Tax were introduced without adequate appreciation of practical difficulties that lead to confusion. Taxation of expenditure was introduced in the 1970-80 period. The Finance Acts of: 1970 (disallowance of guest-house expenses), 1975 (ceiling for legal expenses), 1978 (limited disallowance of advertisement, publicity and sales promotion expense), 1983 (payment made to hotels) amongst others, disallowed expenditure above certain limits. FBT is payable on total expenditure incurred. The net result is more paper work and higher overheads to ensure compliance. If revenue indeed was the sole consideration the UPA government could have instead increased corporate tax rate, withdrawn tax exemptions and levied service tax on lawyer's fees. Education: Recently the Union HRD Ministry first turned down and then agreed to a request from IIM Bangalore to open a campus in Singapore stating that the institute meets domestic demand first. This is like saying that India must not launch satellites till every Indian has enough to eat. It is inward looking policies as these that caused India's share of world trade to fall. (1950: 1.29%, 1970: 0.68%, 1990: 0.52%, 2000: 0.67%). A Singapore campus would give the faculty higher salaries and global exposure. Foreign postings are a motivational tool to lure/retain senior faculty/managers. This strategy is used by multinationals like Levers & Pepsi. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) too is considered by many as a gateway to World Bank/IMF postings. (PM Manmohan Singh worked with RBI & World Bank). Subsidising Exports made sense when India was a dollar scarce economy. With over $ 130 billion in reserves does India need to support exports with subsidies to the extent she does? According to the governments own estimates revenues forgone added up to almost Rs 40,000 crs in 2003-04. Kerosene Prices are not increased to protect the poor. Never mind if it results in large scale adulteration of kerosene with diesel, pollution and illegal export to neighboring countries. At Rs 9.01, price of kerosene per litre in India (Delhi) is 48% of that in Pakistan and 58% of that in Bangladesh (Business Standard 10.11.04). We are Poor: Inspite of the % of people living below the poverty line falling substantially (1973-74 54.9%, 1987-88 38.9%, 1999-2000 26.1%, source Statistical Outline of India) the Congress continues to tell the world that we are a poor country. Few countries are bereft of problems and poverty but to seek votes in the name of the poor for over fifty years is to belittle the progress made. I wonder if there is a vested interest in continuously telling Indians they are poor. Court Judgments: In 1975 Indira Gandhi declared the Emergency to nullify the Allahabad High Court judgment that unseated her for corrupt electoral practices. In the 1980's Rajiv Gandhi overruled the Supreme Court judgment in the Shah Bano Case. In 2005 the government issued an ordinance to avoid paying back ITC Rs 350 crs (plus interest) after it lost its excise case in the Supreme Court. Upset with Apex Court's ruling barring quotas in unaided private professional institutions the UPA enacted a law providing for reservations in private unaided colleges. Lastly the UPA government is yet to implement an August 2004 Supreme Court order that asks it to construct the Punjab portion of the Sutlej Yamuna Canal. Be it 1975 or 2005 the Congress has shown scant respect for Supreme Court decisions. Foreign Policy: Indian policies were marked by idealism, taking a high moral ground. India paid for it dearly in 1962 (war with China). Citing military rule in Burma, India refused to deal with the military government there. This allowed China to get a foothold in that country and access to its gas reserves. Our Burma policy would be rued most by those responsible for India's energy security. Ever since King Gyanendra took over the reins in Nepal the UPA government has insisted on return to democracy as a pre condition for normalization of relations. History it set to repeat itself with the Chinese getting very active in Nepal. Successive Indian governments have no qualms dealing with a military dictator in Pakistan but insist on return of democracy in Nepal. Should not National Interest pervade the need to promote democracy? Secularism: Inspite of adverse verdicts by the Allahabad High Court the torchbearer of secularism Mr Arjun Singh believes it is secular to declare the Aligarh Muslim University a minority institution. This is similar to the Congress providing Haj subsidy since the 1970's and its refusal to criticize the existence of Shariat Courts that run a parrarel judicial system in the country. The word 'Secular' was made part of the constitution's Preamble in 1976 but left undefined. Try asking the UPA to define the word Secular or benchmark with how secularism operates globally and you will be labelled Communal. Dismissal of State Governments: A reading of 'Open Secrets: India's Intelligence Unveiled' by M Y Dhar tells you how the Congress schemed to overthrow legally elected state governments. Birth and rise of terrorism in Punjab in the 1980's is amongst others, believed to be a direct result of Congress-Akali Dal power politics. In 2005 the Congress tried in vain to prevent the formation of an NDA government in Jharkhand not to forget declaration of President's Rule in Bihar. Has anything changed, one may ask? Inspite of some achievements the Congress led UPA government continues to work with a 20th century mindset. That is unfortunate. Supported by a buoyant economy it could unleash the Indian entrepreneurial spirit through deregulation and creation of world-class infrastructure. During the Emergency school buses were painted: 'Talk less Work more'. This is a slogan every Indian would like the UPA government to imbibe in letter and spirit EOM. |
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