It is education that will play the key role in changing the current status of Muslims in India. This is what speakers felt at a national conference organised in Surat on Sunday, to discuss socio-economic challenges faced by Muslims in the 21st century.
The conference was organised by Strive for Eminence and Empowerment (SEE). Along with maulvis and religious leaders, external affairs minister Salman Khursid was also present in the meet, which was attended by around 50,000 delegates.
A majority of the speakers termed illiteracy as the main reason for the status of the community in India. As Muslims were not giving priority to education, they were getting excluded socially and financially. Out of 100 Muslim children, only 35 (aged 6-17) go to school. This is an alarming situation. Lack of education is preventing economic growth of Muslims in India. Today all communities in country are progressing, except Muslims,” said Maulvi Mohammad Fazlur Rahim Mujaddidi.
He termed RCC house, safe drinking water, electricity, quality education, healthcare and economic participation as requirements of a person in the 21st century.
Union minister Salman Khurshid said that people still have misconception about Muslims. Right words are not used for Muslims and in many cases, the fight initiated by Muslims is termed as Jehad. This is not only in India but in other countries as well.
“They don’t know the real term of Jehad. If they meet Mujaddidi, they will learn what Jehad is. He is the person, who is doing Jehad for education. Fight initiated for right cause is called Jehad,” said Khurshid.
According to Khurshid, it would have been better if no reservation system prevailed in the nation.
There was nobody between Allah and his followers and so no reservation was needed in Islam.
AICC member Irshad Beg Mirza held government policies responsible for poor condition of Muslims in India. He also attacked Gujarat government for putting scholarship of minority students on hold, for all these years.
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