The Hindu : National : Brinda Karat seeks special economic package for Muslims

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Monday, Nov 06, 2006
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Brinda Karat seeks special economic package for Muslims

Special Correspondent

Says their social and economic conditions are bad

"TABLE REPORT:" CPI (M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat at a `Meet the Press' in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. — Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

VISAKHAPATNAM: CPI(M) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Brinda Karat has urged the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre to announce a special plan for the development of Muslims.

A majority of them faced discrimination and their social and economic conditions were bad. By announcing a series of schemes in the next budget, their status should be improved. The Government should also expose the canard of "Muslim appeasement" spread by the BJP-RSS combine, she told The Hindu on Sunday.

Ms. Karat described as disturbing media reports on the findings of the Rajinder Sachar Committee, which went into the social, economic and educational status of Muslims. According to the committee, set up on March 9, 2005, while the Muslim population in the country was 17 per cent, it had less than two per cent representation in government jobs. Muslims were not only socially and educationally backward, but artisans in the community too had least access to government credits. Likewise, Muslim women self-help groups were not encouraged with adequate funds.

She urged the Government to table the committee report in the winter session of Parliament, beginning this month. The CPI (M) wanted a full discussion on the report. Besides formulating a special economic package for Muslims and scholarship schemes for Muslim children, the Centre should include welfare schemes for them in the 11th Plan.

Earlier, at the meet-the-press of the Vizag Journalists' Forum, Ms. Karat said all State Governments must immediately appoint protection officers and counsellors under the Protection of Women against Domestic Violence Act, 2005, which came into force last month. A lot of misconception and disinformation campaign was being carried out by vested interests about the Act, and this must be stopped.

She did not see any immediate need for the formation of a third front though her party was holding discussions with parties for setting up a common platform to fight the communal forces.

She said the party now had more responsibility of taking up people's issues inside and outside Parliament as the Opposition had failed to do so. The CPI (M) had made it clear to the UPA Government that it could not support any Bill in any form if it was against the people. Whether it was the Bills on foreign direct investment, privatisation or labour laws amendment, the CPI(M) did not accept many policies of the Government.

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