Electoral Calculus and Dalit Muslims: Towards Shaping an Agenda

By Indian Dalit Muslims' Voice, 17th August 2009

Even after 62 years of independent India, the Indian Muslims as a whole are almost at lowest level in all respect. They are the most deprived lot in Indian society. There are hardly any Muslim employments in government sectors or even semi government sectors, Muslim representation in government bodies and in the bureaucracy is nearly nil, the literacy level in Muslims is miserable, and economic status of Muslims is awful.

Programme for election 2009 in states of Maharashtra and Jharkhand and the other two states have already been declared by Election Commission of India, and which is likely to be held in October /November 2009. It is high time and demands of the prevailing situation that all OBC / Dalit Muslims Organizations/Associations should come on a common platform to form a common strategy or plan to press for the fulfillment of their common goal. They must assess and review as to what this congress and NCP who are ruling in state as well as at National level for the last 10 years have done for these most deprived and discriminated citizens of India.

It is time to raise the voice before ruling parties especially who are ruling in states, as to how long they will take to implement Justice Sachar Committee Report, Shri Krishna Commission Report and Justice Rangnath Mishra’s recommendations and how long they will take to implement various committees report especially constituted after riots. How long Secular parties are going to remain silent on Majority Terrorism. Why they are not coming with heavy hand against Majority Terrorism.

For Dalit Muslims and OBC Muslims, it is high time that they must stand up together and ask as to why the Presidential order 1950 has not been done away with. Why the religion based discriminatory clause (3) under article 341 of the Constitution has not been removed as it contradicts and in utter violation of the Secular nature of our nation. How long Muslims would face religion based discrimination under this infamous Presidential Order 1950. Muslims must get their fair share by reservation in government employment.

We must ensure that in present form, Women Representation Bill in Parliament should not get passed as it would be very detrimental and would play havoc so far as representation of Muslims in Parliament and State Assemblies are concerned. We have to work for delimiting the constituencies, which are Muslim dominated or having sizeable number of Muslims and in conspirational way, have been reserved for ST/SC. We have to do away with, by virtue of representation before Election Commission and putting facts cogently and effectively.

As elections are around the corner in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, Muslim community should unite and come up with clear work and action plan and what we should demand from the Government/ Political Parties. Dalit Muslims should directly and openly demand rather than just taking a back seat but first Muslins should understand the policies and agenda of various so called secular parties. Muslims should register themselves and realise the importance of their votes. Muslims should pay attention to National problems as Indian citizens.

It is now high time to demand, not as minorities or deprived lot in India but as deprived citizens of India. Dalit/OBC Muslims must clearly ask for reservation as Muslims community is as backward as the ST/SC and more backward than non-Muslim OBC. Muslims should ask for reservation in proportion to their total population in India.

Muslims as a whole, must realize that unless they do something for their political empowerment, i.e. proper representation in Parliament and assemblies of respective states, we are not going to achieve our goal, the way we are demanding/pressing for reservations in Government jobs especially Security Forces and Administration, we must demand fair number of tickets from secular political parties and in case they fail to give tickets in proportion, we must go for the tactical voting. We must do something for proper representation in Lok Sabha and state assemblies.

Dalit Muslims/ OBC Muslims should realize that without representation they cannot be empowered/ develop in this prevailing socio-eco political scenario. For this very purpose/ to achieve this goal, they must organize (get united) and agitate and act on their strategy/ plan for their redressal of grievances and must defend their dignity. We should work to make feel our presence in every field whether it is politics, nation development, saving and defending nation and work together in the interest of the nation and it is only possible when our participation and presence is everywhere.

Muslims must unite to vote for single secular candidate and make a strategy for upcoming elections, keeping view their goals and demands, so that their goals are achieved.

They should also make sure that their work plan and demands are not hindered or hampered by these political parties, as their strategy is caste and communal based and more on divide and rule policy. We have to take care of various factors, so that we should remain united.

The various points which we must ponder over or think as agenda for this Election are as follows:

(1) Removal of Article 341(3), the religion based discriminatory clause. We are in a secular nation, we must strongly disapprove of clause (3) Article 341 and demand its removal (amendment in the Constitution) as soon as possible.

(2) We should demand from all secular parties to give tickets (proportional representation) in adequate numbers in proportion to Muslim population and especially Dalit and OBC Muslims.

(3) All Secular parties, especially Congress and NCP who are ruling and have ruled in past to come with clear plan/policy agenda for safety and security of minority community especially from Majority Terrorism.

(4) The various Government Schemes/plan which are meant for minority are not properly implemented/ executed especially pertaining to education and employment and various other social welfare schemes e.g. 15 point programmes. The Government should work for its proper implementation.

(5) Muslims should ask for expanding overall OBC quota, including more Muslims castes.

(6) In a state, where reservation has not been given on the line of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala, immediate steps should be taken to give reservations immediately.

(7) There is an urgent need to take out a Karvan (yatra) in each Muslims dominated constituency whether it is reserved or not, just to educate/ make them aware about our demand and how to achieve it, at least this can be done in certain selected areas to give message to concerned one.

(8) We must ask for enhancing the percentage of Muslims in force, state forces, and paramilitary forces, other forces and administration to develop an inbuilt mechanism to control communal bias action and to maintain social fabric of nation.

(9) We must demand that the Government should take all necessary steps/ confidence building measures among minority.

(10) We must make clear to all political parties that during these 62years of independence, Muslims have been discriminated, systematically eliminated and suppressed and pushed to corner by communal elements present in respective political parties.

(11) We have to work unitedly to force political parties for implementing the various committee reports/ recommendations in the interest of minority community.

In the present scenario we must realise and educate the Muslim masses that we have to struggle and work hard to achieve these goals. We must not be deterred by various political parties. We have to grab every opportunity that comes our way for our betterment. These goals may be hard to achieve but we must not lose hope and faith in our abilities. We must strive for the best for ourselves and for our community.

2 comments

  1. Thought provoking Points given by author. There is an urgent need to work on these strategies for our political empowerment.

    Best Regards,
    Sahil Alam, Delhi

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Article is meticulously designed & the subject needs to be worked out with dedication, sincerety & precaution within the constitutional framework of this great Nation which has ample scope for serving the have nots irrespective of the man made boundaries of caste, religion, race & language. Humanity is the prime concern for which necessary modifications & alterations in the Costitution can be programmed.

    Akmal Husain
    Sr scientist
    Chennai 28

    ReplyDelete

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