Author: Sumit Pande
Publication: IBNLive.com
Date: May 13, 2008
URL: http://www.ibnlive.com/news/govt-wants-muslims-posted-in-muslim-areas/65159-3.html
The Centre has again shifted its focus on
to posting minority groups' personnel in areas whose demographics show a pronounced
minority slant.
The minority agenda of the UPA government
is once again moving full steam ahead, to the extent that it has now revived
its controversial bid to post Muslims in Muslim-dominated areas.
In a letter to three ministries - Health,
Human Resources Development and Home - the Department of Personnel and Training
has demanded that guidelines for the proposal be expedited.
The Government, last year, had issued an advisory
to states for the posting of Muslim personnel in Muslim-dominated areas.
The exercise could not be undertaken in absence
of any specific guidelines by the Union HRD, Home and Health ministries and
the states did not respond.
This time, though, the Government does not
seem to be shy of standing by its minority policy.
A multi-media campaign is already on and a
booklet on Muslim Development Scheme has already been dispatched to Muslim
MPs.
The All-India Muslim Personal Law Board is
not impressed, however.
"What the Goverment should consider and
accept is the Ranganath Mishra Commission report; the report has recommended
that Muslims should be given reservation in employment as well as in education,"
stated the AIMPLB's spokesperson, S Q R Illiyas.
"All these matters do not help the people
- these are just cosmetic measures," he said.
As the elections draw near, the Government
is expected to more candid about its minority sops. It wants its political
message to get across and will not be intimidated by the minority-appeasement
campaign launched by the Opposition.
