CPI(M) made a strong pitch for empowerment of Muslims and asked the UPA govt “not to get browbeaten” by the BJP campaign of “minority appeasement”.
NEW DELHI: Vying with the Congress for the Muslim pie in the time of elections and in the background of Sachar Committee recommendations, the CPI(M) on Monday made a strong pitch for empowerment of 13.8 crore Muslims in the country and asked the UPA government “not to get browbeaten” by the BJP campaign of “minority appeasement”.
Party general secretary Prakash Karat released a “CPI(M)’s Charter for Advancement of Muslim Community” here which inter alia called for a sub plan for the community on the lines of the tribal sub plan.
Denying any political motive behind the move, Karat said the Sachar Committee had spurred the party to seriously look into the condition of Muslims even as political analysts viewed the Marxists’ newfound love for Muslims with cynicism saying that it is trying to expand its political base to lead a Third Front government in 2009, if not before.
When reminded that Sachar panel had exposed the poor record of the Left Front government in West Bengal vis-à-vis the Muslim community in the state, he said the state government will take remedial measures.
Karat said the charter will be sent to various organisations and individuals soliciting their response and the party will give final shape to it in a convention being organised shortly. The responses will be utilised to mobilise public opinion, he added.
Among the other demands are adequate representation in recruitment for state and central security forces and boards of selection committees, quota for dalit Muslims, schools for modern education in districts with sizable Muslim population, incentives for women and girl’s education, recruitment of Urdu speaking teachers, scientific and job-oriented education in madarsas, action on Sri Krishna Commission on Mumbai violence and time-bound CBI probe into Gujarat genocide.
Even as Karat released the charter, West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee also announced a package of developmental programmes for the minority community. They include giving university status to Kolkata madrasa, utilising Waqf fund for developmental schemes, deputing Muslims on various service commissions, earmarking a fund of Rs ten crore for madrasa development, setting up of a task force to look into the development of the minority communities under the convenorship of the chief minister.
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