The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Southern states model for communal amity: Minister

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Wednesday, Mar 11, 2009
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Southern states model for communal amity: Minister

Special Correspondent

— Photo: M. Srinath

Congratulations: Mani Shankar Aiyer, Union Minister for Panchayat Raj and Development of North Eastern Region, handing over the degree certificate to a student of Annai College in Kovilacheri near Kumbakonam on Tuesday. M.H. Jawahirullah, president, TMMK, right, looks on.

KUMBAKONAM: Southern states can be followed as a model for communal harmony and secular way of life, said Mani Shankar Aiyer, Union Minister for Panchayati Raj and Development of North Eastern Region, here on Tuesday.

Delivering the convocation address at Annai College of Arts and Science, Mr. Aiyer said that minority Muslims and majority Hindus lived harmoniously in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. In Tamil Nadu, particularly Mayiladuthurai, the Minister’s constituency, could be showcased as a model for the entire world for harmonious living.

“I told many of my north Indian friends, particularly in opposition parties, to visit Nagore in Mayiladuthurai constituency where Hindus visit the Dargah and pray for their salvation. Hindus have given the name Fatima Pichai to their a child which was born to them after visiting the Nagore durgah,” Mr. Aiyer said.

Malapuram district in Kerala has achieved cent per cent literacy. Nilampur in Malapuram district where Muslims were majority in number, has also achieved cent per cent literacy which means educationally Muslims were in good status in southern states.

Justice Sachar Committee report

Justice Sachar Committee report which went into the status of Muslims in India said that they remained educationally and economically backward.

But this could not be said about Mayiladuthurai constituency. Here Muslims were running educational institutions like Annai group of institutions and many Muslim women were being educated.

Aiyer distributed degree certificates to a total of 549 graduates at the convocation.

M.H. Jawahirullah, president, Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam offered felicitations. M.I. Humayun, Secretary, Annai group of institutions, presided over the convocation.

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