By Saleem Pasha
In the Malidasha Telangana movement, 1200 people sacrificed their lives for the cause of the State. This includes martyrs belonging to the Muslim social class. Cases of participating in the movement and imprisoned Muslim activities are rampant. There were many wealthy Muslims who helped the movement forward.
KCR recognizing the important role of Muslims in the movement at the time gave many assurances to make Muslims more active in the movement. With the leader of the movement being the Chief Minister of his own State, the Muslims were very hopeful that the promises given to them would be fulfilled. But for the past seven-and-a-half years, these promises have yet to be fulfilled. With this, Muslims are deeply concerned that any party that comes to power is using itself just as a ‘vote bank’.
According to a comprehensive family survey, the State of Telangana has a Muslim population of about 60 lakhs. Muslims make up 14% of the State’s population. In terms of population, Muslims should have at least 17 seats in the total 119 Assembly seats in the STate. But at present, there are only 8 Assembly seats. 17 out of all the Lok Sabha seats in the STate, Muslims should have at least 2 Lok Sabha seats on the basis of population. But there is only one position. Considering this, it is clear that even in the newly formed State of Telangana, Muslims do not have proper political representation.
In the 2014 General Elections, KCR has promised to provide 12% reservation in education and jobs to Muslims within 4 months of the formation of their government in Telangana State. The TRS Government was formed with KCR as the Chief Minister in the new State. On March 3, 2015, the KCR appointed Dr. Sudhir Commission to study the real situation of Muslim education, social-economic, and political issues in the STate. The Commission submitted its report to the government on 12th August 2016, after a 14-month long study. The Commission said in its report that 85% of Muslims live below the poverty line. In its report, the Sudhir Commission recommended to the KCR Government to increase the 4% reservation currently in force for the backward classes among Muslims to at least 9-10 percent.
The first BC Commission in the State of Telangana studied the real situation of poor Muslims at the field level, conducted several surveys, and submitted a comprehensive report to the KCR Government in 2017. The BC Commission in its report also recommended to the government to increase the reservation of 4% percent for backward classes among Muslims to at least 10%. Based on this, the KCR Government passed a resolution in the Assembly and sent it to the Central Government to increase the reservation by 12%. But CM KCR failed to get the resolution passed near the Centre. KCR, directly and indirectly, assisted in the passage of several bills introduced by the Modi Government at the Centre. But he did not show his sincerity in passing the 12% reservation increase bill. With this, it became clear that KCR had used the 12% reservation guaranteed as an election stunt after becoming the CM for the second time.
Of the 7 annual budgets introduced so far in the Assembly, for minorities, Rs. 9,450 crore allocated, the cost was Rs. 6,199 crore. Only 65% of the total funds allocated are spent. All other funds were diverted. If the cost of funding goes up like this, the government looks at how many years it will take to eradicate extreme poverty among Muslims. That is why the ‘minority sub-plan’ recommended by the Sudhir Commission for the empowerment of Muslims should ber set up.
The Sudhir Commission said in its report that 43% of Muslims in Telangana do not have their own houses and they are living in rented houses. The KCR Government has taken a policy decision to give 12 per cent quota for the construction of double bedroom houses in urban areas and 5 percent in rural areas. But this decision was not enforced as an armony. The KCR government should pave the way for the proper implementation of this and the realization of the dream of the poor Muslims.
Thousands of acres of Wakf land in joint Andhra Pradesh have been seized. KCR boasted that if the State was ready during the movement, it would tie judicial powers to the Wakf Board and reclaim the alienated lands. Seven-and-a-half years after the formation of his government in the new STate, this promise is still not fulfilled. Moreover, the Wakf Board is severely neglected during the KCR Government. Telangana Wakf Board records room was locked and seized by CM KCR. This lock will continue for a few years. As a result, records of cases in pending cases in the courts are being watered down. The Wakf Board still does not have a permanent CEO. With this, the board works are not going fast.
The appointment of governing bodies in Muslim minority organizations is not happening in full. For the last one-and-a-half years, the governing bodies of the Urdu Academy, the Minority Commission, and the Minority Finance Corporation have been vacant. Hundreds of staff posts in these governing bodies are vacant, leaving files unmovable. Through the Finance Corporation, the promise given by the CM KCR to grant subsidized loans of Rs. 10 lakh has not been implemented till date. Only Rs. 1 lakh to up to Rs. 2 lakh are getting subsidized loans. For the last three years, these subsidized loans for the self-employment of Muslim you have not been provided.
The minority gurukuls, who started out loud, did not have their own buildings and permanent teachers. With this, more than half of the student seats are left vacant. In addition, a large number of non-minorities are employed on a contract basis in these gurukuls. This will lead to a shortage of employment for the eligible minority unemployed.
Muslims are seriously lagging behind in gaining political representation in the State of Telangana. During the movement, KCR assured that it was its responsibility to win one MLA seat for each district for the Muslim candidate. The TRS currently has only one Muslim MLA out of a total of more than 100 MLAs. Can CM KCR doest not take into account the Muslim population basis in the appointments of nominated posts. An example of this is the recent appointment of TSPSC members by the government and the selection of Vice-Chancellors for 10 universities. Not a single Muslim minority was given a chance in these appointments. There are 700 above backlog teacher posts vacant for Urdu medium schools. These can be put on de-notified and replaced by other candidates by the government. But to this day, this file is still pending win CM KCR.
During the Telangana movement, the KCR Sachar Committee Report was leaked several times. He referred to the fact that Muslims in the country are lagging behind Dalits in some areas. If the State of Telangana is formed, the Sachar Committee will implement the report without fail. But even the recommendations in the Sudhir Commission report set up by his government today are not being implemented. So far not a single review meeting has been convened on the Sudhir Commission report.
If poverty is to be eradicated among Muslim minorities, a comprehensive plan must be put in place for their development. A scheme like ‘Dalit Bandhu’ which is being brought for the empowerment of Dalits in the State should also be brought for the empowerment of Muslims. The Sachar Committee study found that Muslims lag far behind Dalits in many areas. So the government should immediately count the number of poor Muslim families in the State. The KCR Government has Rs. 10 lakh financial assistance should be provided. Through this, they should provide support for economic development. Every year, poor Muslims should be made to move Rs. 28 thousand crores of funds.
CM KCR should immediately convene an all-party meeting for the empowerment, welfare, and development of poor Muslim minorities in the State of Telangana. An activity should be formed by inviting various political parties, Muslim public associations, and intellectuals to this meeting. The Telangana Minority Bandhu scheme should be launched immediately. If a large number of Muslim minorities in the Telangana community fails to develop, KCR must realize that the ‘Golden Telangana’ of its dream is not possible.
| Posted by Sameer Khan | 
