Indian Muslims Demand Equality

Nilofar Suhrawardy,
Arab News
Thursday, 8, March, 2007
(18, Safar, 1428)
ArabNews

NEW DELHI, 8 March 2007 — With banners and posters carrying slogans such as “Down, down with discrimination, up, up with equality and brotherhood,” around ten thousand Muslims participated yesterday in a march from Ramlila Maidan (Old Delhi) to Parliament Street where they held a demonstration.

Organized by Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK), a Muslim demonstration at this scale was held in the capital city for the first time, with Muslim parties, leaders and their supporters gathered at one forum demanding “equality” and reservation for Muslims.

In the wake of Sachar Committee Report having highlighted the discrimination faced by Muslims in various sectors, the demonstration was organized to assert Muslims’ demand for equality.

In his address, TMMK President M.H. Jawahirullah, who led the march, said: “We want the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government to implement its program.”

Emphasizing that thousands of Muslims have come all the way from South India, Jawahirullah expressed that their demand of “exclusive reservation” for Muslims should be implemented.

“Let us (Muslims) grow, the nation will grow faster,” said TMMK leader S. Hyder Ali.

Brinda Karat, a legislator from the Communist Party of India-Marxist, also addressed the gathering.

“Development of minorities and protection of minorities is the duty of the country,” Karat said emphasizing that this was essential for “development of the country.”

Just as the country has budgetary allocations for development of tribal communities, Karat said: “We want budgetary allocations for development of Muslim community.”

She asserted the need for all to unite from that very platform to strengthen “secularism” of the country and groups responsible for Gujarat-carnage.

“We are not begging,” asserted Rasheed Ahmed Chowdary (United Democratic Front-Assam).

“We are asking for the reservation that should be given to us as per the Indian Constitution.”

In a similar tone, S.Q.R. Ilyas (All-India Muslim Personal Law Board) said: “We are not asking for anything that is inappropriate, but only that is due to us.”

“Protection of Muslims is a duty of the country, not an obligation,” said Asaduddeen Owaisi, Majlis-e-Ittihadul Muslimeen, Andhra Pradesh.

“Give us reservation and within five years we will take the country to great heights,” Owaisi asserted.

“If Muslims don’t get reservation, nobody else should get it,” he said.

On sidelines of the demonstration, expressing satisfaction with there being a large gathering, Jawahirullah told Arab News:

“The response to this demonstration has been overwhelming. We are not purchasing people. They have come at their own expense.”

On what would be their next course of action, he said that they would present a charter of their demands to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“The government has two and a half years to implement our demands. If they don’t, they lose our support,” he asserted.