---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Administrator-IDMV <
dalitmuslims@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Oct 31, 2009 at 7:11 PM
Subject: Muslim backwardness- some constitutional restrictions
To:
URL:
http://www.dalitmuslims.com/2009/10/muslim-backwardness-some-constitutional.html
By Irshadul Haq
Who can deny the fact that Indian Muslims have gone far behind in
almost all walks of life as compared to their compatriots. Their
social and economic condition is even worse than 'Dalits'. A number of
intellectuals from our own community do not tire of uttering the same
old words 'Muslims are themselves to be blamed for their
backwardness.'
Muslims have not been given the concessions and privileges enjoyed by
Hindus, Buddhists, Sikh and Dalits. Under certain provisions Dalits
have been given 14 percent reservation in all state and central
government jobs. This has been laid down in section 341of the
Constitution. According to this Section, Harijans were identified on a
countrywide scale and seats were reserved for them in all government
departments save the judiciary. They were called scheduled castes and
schedule tribes. They were also given the privilege of reservation in
the Lok Sabha and state assemblies in the same proportion. Dalits are
also given the facility of building their houses under the Indira Awas
Scheme. But Dalit Muslims have been deprived of all these
constitutional privileges and concession, whereas the fact is that the
financial, social and political condition of these Dalit Muslims is
worse than the Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist Dalits in all respects. In
certain places it is almost impossible to differentiate whether they
are Dalit Muslims or non-Muslims. The financial and social condition
of Halalkhors, Nats, Bhatyaras, Dhunias and Bhants etc is so bad that
they are leading a life worse than that of Dalits.
In this connection it is worth noting that under religious
restrictions of section 341 of the Constitution Dalit Muslims are
deprived of the benefits available to scheduled caste people whereas
section 14 of the constitution specifies that government will not
discriminate on religious grounds. Though there are strict
instructions in the Constitution not to discriminate on the basis of
race and religion, the followers of a particular religion have been
deprived of their basic rights. What kind of Constitution is this?
Now, when the central government has formed a Constitution Review
Committee half a century after independence, different Muslim
organization should pressurize the government to bring this fact under
discussion. Another noteworthy aspect in connection with scheduled
caste reservation is that those Muslims who got fed up with the
tyranny of Hindu and embraced Islam(which preached religious equality)
centuries ago, were Hindu sweepers, shoe makers, washer-men etc at
that time. But when they became Muslims, the Constitution of free
India turned them out of the scheduled castes category as a
punishment. They were given such a harsh social and political
punishment for embracing Islam and our Muslim thinkers and leaders are
still silent. In this connection the well known journalist, Kuldeep
Nayar clearly said that Muslims should not demand the inclusion of
Dalit Muslims in the category of notified castes. He was of the
opinion that reservation for schedule castes is due to their
exploitation for thousands of years in the past. Since these people
have deserted Hinduism and embraced Islam, these Dalit Muslims have
become free from the tyranny of Brahmins. All are equal in Islam; so
why should they be included in the category of scheduled castes? But
Nayar probably forgets that on the recommendations of the Mandal
Commission, backward Muslims have also been included in the category
of 27 percent reservation together with the backward people of other
religions and these Muslims are enjoying the benefits from the times
of the former Prime Minister VP Singh.
People who say that the privilege of reservation available to
scheduled castes and other backward classes are against religious
principles are trying to spread serious misunderstanding because the
motive behind such reservation is to provide opportunities to those
people in the society who are left behind in the social ladder. As a
matter of fact, this idea is exactly akin to the principles of
equality in Islam.
Now let us think about the dangerous consequences that will emerge on
account of non-inclusion of Dalit Muslims in the category of scheduled
castes. Just think: Hindu sweeper is SC, whereas a Muslim sweeper is
OBC.; Hindu juggler is SC (in Bihar), Muslim washer-man is OBC; Hindu
'Paasi' is SC, Muslim 'Paasi' is placed in the OBC category. There are
dozens of such examples where despite similarity of social standing
and profession, Muslims have not been included in this list only to
deprive them of the privileges and facilities. Harmful consequences of
all such policies are now cropping up. There are dozens of families of
Nuts, Bhatyaras and Bhant etc in the suburban areas of East Champaran,
Siwan and Vaishali districts in Bihar whose forefathers converted to
Islam, but there was no perceptible difference in their way of life.
But when their later generations became somewhat literate, they
realized that the constitutional privileges and facilities were not
available to them because of being Muslims and these could be readily
available to them if they revert to their old religion. The number of
such people in Bihar is increasing who are going for government jobs
from the category of scheduled castes. How serious this problem is
from the Muslims' point of view, can very well be imagined. The
problem is how to prevent this trend of conversion? Under these
circumstances there appears to be only one way – that all Muslim
organizations should join together on one common platform and start a
movement for bringing about an amendment to section 341 of the
constitution that lays down the religions restriction.
It is a matter of satisfaction that in Bihar some organizations are
carrying on a movement for amendment in section 341 and certain
perceptible results of this movement are being observed. It is because
of the pressure of these organizations that on 21 July last the Bihar
Assembly unanimously forwarded a recommendation to the central
government for inclusion of Dalit Muslims in the category of scheduled
castes, because their economic, social and political condition is
unimaginably worse.
Unfortunately, the problem of these organizations in Bihar is that
their leaders are becoming more and more selfish which has made them
quite ineffective. Leaders of these organizations have started using
their public image for their own political gains. Some leaders are
using their influence and approach for distribution of tickets for
Assembly elections while others are using these for getting their
seats reserved in the Legislative Council. The overall result of all
such activities will be that the movement will be weakened and will
become a victim of horse trading and 'give' and 'take' policy of
political parties.
Hence the need of the hour is to publicize such movements on a
country-wide scale so that 'Dalit' Muslims could not be exploited
anymore.
(Irshadul Haq could be contacted on irshadulhaque786@googlemail.com)
Thanks & Regards,
Indian Dalit Muslims Voice
www.dalitmuslims.com
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