Muslim members of Parliament met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday to raise issues concerning the community and make out a case for the speedy implementation of various measures announced by the government for minorities.
Led by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman K. Rahman Khan, the delegation urged Dr. Singh to implement the report of the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities - tabled in Parliament last week - while drawing his attention to the delay in the implementation of the Sachar Committee Report.
Further, the delegation wanted the government to amend the Wakf Act in line with the recommendations made by a Joint Parliamentary Committee.
Other demands include Haj reforms, reservation for Muslims along the lines of the policy adopted in Karnataka, recognition for the Islamic banking system to encourage the culture of savings within the community, proper monitoring of the Prime Minister’s 15-Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities, constitutional status to the National Minorities Commission, and minority status to Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia.
Expressing gratitude to the government for creating a separate Minority Affairs Ministry, the delegation pointed out that “unfortunately,” certain departments like Haj and minorities education - related entirely to minorities - are with other ministries.
In the same vein, they demanded a separate Parliamentary standing committee for minority affairs and urged Dr. Singh to suggest this to the presiding officers of the two houses of Parliament.
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