'The greatest condemnation to any negative thinking is a proactive act of development,' is how minister for minority affairs Salman Khurshid reacted to some recent Fatwas.
Do Fatwas affect government policies? No, said minister for minority affairs Salman Khurshid. The minister said that there was an overwhelming response to the government’s progressive steps to empower Muslim women.
About 50% of scholarships were claimed by the Muslim girls and there was a growing demand to open banks and schools in Muslim dominated districts.
“No such announcement has ever proved to be a hindrance to our schemes. There is no feedback that the performance of our schemes has got affected due to any propaganda. Why should we be worried, when our programmes are not affected,” Khurshid said.
According to him the community itself is taking progressive strides and working hard to come out of backwardness. “Even though we have reserved 30 per cent of scholarships for girls, nearly 50 per cent of these scholarships go to women. And, about 1.28 lakh muslim women have been trained under a special leadership development programme,” he said.
“The greatest condemnation to any negative thinking is a proactive act of development,” is how Khurshid reacted to some recent Fatwas. On the latest Fatwa from Darul-Uloom against having insurance policies, the minister said: “I am Muslim. I have a bank account and I have an insurance too. We want to develop the community which is why we are opening more banks and schools in minority areas and no one is stopping us. In fact, there is a demand for more banks, schools and scholarships in the minority dominated belts. My greatest condemnation of such things is through the figures (success of minority schemes). Why should I stop my work and get into condemnation exercise,” he said.
In a fitting reply to the reactionary Fatwas issued every now and then by Muslim clergies, the government has taken some progressive steps that is not only in contradiction to Fatwas but also helps Muslim women to stay in tune with the modern times.
Taking a proactive step to involve Muslim women in the decision making bodies of the community, the government is making it mandatory for an active representation of women in the Central Waqf Council and the state Waqf boards. Waqf is a Muslim charitable trust. Provisions have been made in the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2010, passed by the Lok Sabha, to have at least two women on the board in both Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Boards. The government has taken a strong step towards gender justice in management of religious properties by giving one-third representation to women,” said Khurshid.
The Bill, which will now go to Rajya Sabha, also has a provision to give maintenance to all such divorced women who have been denied financial rights by their husbands and in-laws.
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