India: Reservation for Muslims -Is it really a double-edged sword?

Urdu Section

16 Jun 2009, NewAgeIslam.Com

India: Reservation for Muslims -Is it really a double-edged sword?

Minority affairs minister Salman Khursheed has called reservation for Muslims a double-edged sword. Urdu columnist Syed Abdul Rafey asks if that is really so and concludes: "It cannot be denied that reservation is indeed a double-edged sword; if it is used, the Muslims will get fewer benefits and suffer more losses." He goes on to explain the reasons why and what should the community do, endorsing the idea that Muslims should depend more on their own devices and develop the capability to succeed in this highly competitive world. Translated from Urdu by Syed Raihan Ahmad Nezami, Najran, Saudi Arabia URL of this page: http://www.newageislam.org/NewAgeIslamArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=1471 -----------------------------------   Reservation for Muslims - Is it really a double-edged sword?   By Syed Abdul Rafey   Translated from Urdu by Syed Raihan Ahmad Nezami, Najran, Saudi Arabia   "The reservation is a double-edged sword which is definitely going to stimulate the negative feelings of enmity, hatred, contempt, jealousy and opposition in certain sections of the country".   This is the opinion of Mr. Salman Khursheed, the minister for Minority Affairs, expressed in a very frank tone on the topic of reservation addressing the Muslims of India, just after taking the charge of his ministry whereas his predecessor Mr. Abdul Rahman Antulay had maintained absolute silence on the issue throughout his tenure as a minister. He had neither opposed nor favoured the reservation for the Muslims, even he didn't present any alternative solution but his successor has thrown some light on the harmful side-effects of the reservation; and presented some points also as an alternative. As far as its harmful side-effects are concerned, it cannot be denied that reservation is indeed a double-edged sword; if it is used, the Muslims will get fewer benefits and suffer more losses.    It the light of the grim atmosphere created by the BJP throughout the country, over the issue of reservation for the Muslims, and the way they have attacked it the religion of the Muslims on this ground, it is not difficult to imagine that they will create a nation-wide hullabaloo against the Muslims, even though the issue has nothing to do with religion. This privilege is given simply on the basis of financial and educational backwardness and the Muslims too, have been demanding reservation on the same ground. The Dalits too have got reservation on the basis of financial and educational backwardness. The reservation for the deprived categories among the higher-castes in Hindus is also under consideration on the same aforesaid ground and the BJP is its greatest advocate.   Who is unaware of the intense protest which BJP had lodged over the Sachar Committee Report and its recommendations? They couldn't see its justice and blamed others for the so-called Muslim appeasement. So, now, of course, they can go down to any extent to oppose and protest against it, in case, the Muslims are given reservations.   Anyway, reservation is not a matter of day-dreaming. If the government is strong and has the required strength in the parliament as well as they are ready to ignore the liabilities of electoral policies, they can do it. Looking into the past, and in the light of the delay, confusion and suspense created in the acceptance of the Sachar Committee Report, it looks unimaginable that The Muslims will be given reservation. Not to speak of this report, its predecessor the Rangnath Mishra Report, too, is lying into the cold storage till today.   Providing reservation is certainly a big issue. Even allocating money for educational scholarship for t Muslims is a tiresome burden for them. Even if the amount is issued by the centre, it is stopped by the state governments. Another point of worry is that – even though the Muslims have got the constitutional right to open schools and medical or engineering colleges for themselves, according to article 29 and 30 of the constitution, they are not issued grants or given other facilities. Instead, many legal or other obstacles are created in their way. Even if, any courageous person manages to succeed in opening any educational institution, he faces so much hardship in getting it affiliated to the UGC or any other institution that his soul is hurt and hope shattered. There is no need to expose the hidden secrets behind the scene as everyone is well aware. But the question is: why is that so?    Now the most important question arises what should the Muslims do in such a testing and tormenting situation? Obviously, they should not sit idle at the mercy of the transgressors. They are a living community. They will have to come out of this ordeal and find a suitable way to enhance progress and prosperity of the community, to acquire self-respect and dignity and to sustain it. They will have to find out an appropriate alternative as well as keep maintaining pressure for reservation. This is also quite important. Mr. Salman Khursheed has highlighted the same issue in his aforesaid interview. He advises to take positive action, search for new ways and angles with a different point of view which contains strength, will-power and sustainability.   Furthermore, he wishes that the Muslims should develop their own capabilities instead of hoping and waiting for help. His advice should not be ignored outright, because it advocates self-respect and dignity for the community. The naked truth is that for the last 60 years we have been waiting for help and standing submissively before such heartless people who are bound to make political compromises, whose entire attention is fixed on profit and loss of votes in place of righteousness and rendering justice. Presently, the Muslims have been pushed to a miserable state worst than the Dalits, the reason being excess dependence on the false promises and fake assertions by the leaders. They can save themselves from further deterioration by deciding their own course of action and acting upon it with full devotion, for this purpose, the one thing that is greatly required is unity in thought and action.   As far as the recommendations of Sachar Committee Report are concerned, the Minister says that he is working on such schemes which would yield immediate harvest and be effective. Furthermore the Muslims must realize that the recommendations of Sachar Committee Report are not a panacea for all the troubles of the community. They will certainly have to initiate some effort on their own to show and prove that they are alive! Source:  Hindustan Express 10June 2009   URL of this page: http://www.newageislam.org/NewAgeIslamArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleID=1471