Author: TNN
Publication: The Times of India
Date: November 27, 2007
Refuting charges from the saffron brigade
that Marxists were appeasing minority communities, chief minister Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee on Monday pointed to the Sachar Committee report to project
his government's "weakness" in taking up adequate measures for the
uplift of the minorities.
Speaking at a meeting organised by West Bengal
Minorities Finance and Development Corporation (WBMFDC), he admitted that
Muslim representation in government jobs in the state was far below the national
average. He used this to have a dig at the saffron brigade: "The findings
prove that we didn't appease Muslims."
"It is true that we don't have many Muslims
in government offices, particularly among the lower ranks. This is shameful.
We have tried to identify the causes. A majority of the students from the
Muslim community study in madarsas. Unless the madarsas are modernised, their
syllabi upgraded, the students studying there won't be able to compete with
others. Those madarsas, which are yet to get themselves affiliated to the
board, should do that immediately. They are not helping the students by keeping
them away from modern education," Bhattacharjee said.
Sensing the mood among a section of the Muslims,
he was silent on the Bangladeshi writer in exile Taslima Nasreen. Instead,
he harped on peace and development. "We want the state to move forward.
If we get divided in the name of religion and caste, it will spell disaster
for all. We have stayed together for all these years and will remain so. For
those, who are hell-bent on dividing us, we have the message - dur hato (go
away)," he said.
The chief minister spoke on providing equal
opportunities to the minority community members for their economic betterment,
arguing against reservation.
"There are many who advocate reservation.
This is not going to help. It will be very difficult to come out from the
legal wrangles that will follow. We cannot win the legal battle. Again, does
reservation really help? A minuscule section of the scheduled tribes has benefited
from the existing reservation policy. What we need is not reservation but
empowerment," said Bhattacharjee.
He also had stern words for the Sachar committee
report, which said Muslims in the state were among the most backward in the
country. Adverse reaction to the Sachar committee's report from within the
community had dented the Left Front's claims of championing minority rights.
"The Sachar committee had overlooked
several factors. We didn't need the report to open our eyes to the problems
of the minority community. We are aware of the ground reality," he said.
