Raheem Khan
JAIPUR—Two years on, the Muslim community in Rajasthan is feeling betrayed by the Congress government.
Muslims had voted for Congress in the 2018 assembly election, but their partaking in the government is not even negligible.
Former Health minister Imad-ud-din Ahmad Khan has written to chief minister Ashok Gehlot about the discrimination being meted to Muslims and other minorities.
A former Rajya Sabha member, Khan has also served as head of the Minorities department of the Congress party in Rajasthan.
Congress party Minorities department head Abid Kagzi said Khan has held two meetings with Congress general secretary Ajay Maken on this issue. He said Khan also held meetings with Salman Khursheed, Kunwar Jitendra Singh and Kumari Saluja to highlight the issue of Muslims.
He said Khan has also shot off a letter to the chief minister informing him about the plight of Muslims in the state. He said Khan also met the chief minister’s OSD Pukhraj Parashar and discussed issues in detail.
The Muslim community has submitted a memorandum to the government seeking resolution of 19 main issues. One of the prominent issues includes para teachers of Madrassas. There are 6000 Madrassa para teachers in Rajasthan. Neither they are getting paid on time, nor are they being regularized. Due to this issue, Congress’ image has taken a hit in the state.
Another issue is related to the appointment of Urdu teachers in government schools. The Muslim community is not happy with the government for not appointing Urdu teachers. Plus the schools have not received the Urdu syllabus so far. Madrassas have also not received the uniforms.
Anger is also brewing as members of minority communities are not being considered for appointments in Boards and Corporations.
Muslims are also demanding that minorities should be given representation in Municipal Corporations and Councils as per their votes.
There are 28 posts of assistant professors in Urdu lying vacant in Rajasthan. In December 2020, the government advertised only five posts. In 2014-15, 22 posts were vacant and all were duly filled up.
In 2013, the government had decided to appoint 308 Unani doctors based on bonus points. Later, BJP had reduced it to 180 posts. There is a need to fill up the vacant posts. Eighty per cent of Unani doctors come from the Muslim community.
In its election manifesto, Rajasthan Congress had promised a special cell to empower Muslims and monitor the schemes meant for minorities. But so far this cell has not been constituted. It was also promised to provide computers and internet connections to Madrassas. Out of 3240 Madrassas, only 296 were provided computers.
In the 2013-14 budget, the government had announced to set up separate hostel facilities for boys and girls of minority communities in every district. Baring few districts, this promise is yet to see the light of the day.
NMDFC is providing meagre loans to minorities for business and education. Muslims said it is not helping them in any manner.
Vacant posts in the minorities department, Madrassa Board, Haj Committee, Wakf board need to be filled up immediately.
In 2013-14, the government had promised to set up Dastkar Nagar in Jodhpur to promote handicrafts. But seven years on, it is yet to see the light of the day.
Around 3240 Madrassas are registered in the state. But due to the unavailability of teaching assistants, most of them are not functioning. In 2013, the then Gehlot government had announced a Rs. 10 crore grant for Maulana Azad University. But so far, this money has not been released.
There is a lurking threat of riots because RSS has set up “shakhas” in Muslim areas. There is always tension in some areas due to his phenomenon. Police are not supporting the minorities and as a result, people are reeling under insecurity. There is a need to instil a sense of security among the minority community members, the memorandum said.
Khan has told Maken that if the issues of Muslims are resolved, they will not only support them in Rajasthan but the party will also get benefitted in the forthcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh.
