New civil rights group formed in Gujarat to raise minorities' "long-pending" issues, seeks minority govt depart

A minority ghetto in Ahmedabad

By A Representative
In a new effort to lobby for minority rights, a new advocacy group has been formed in Gujarat, Minority Coordination Committee (MCC), on the occasion of the United Nations Minority Rights Day, which fell on December 18. One of its main aims is to provide a united platform for raising long-pending issues with the state government.
To begin by sending one lakh postcards to Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani by March 23, 2017 with a list of demands, the MCC, which proposes to work as a non-political pressure group, would represent before district collectors with a list of demands of minorities, following which it proposes to hold a rally in Ahmedabad to highlight the demands.
A statement issued by MCC following a meeting in Ahmedabad announced the decision to appoint four coordinators for Gujarat – Usmanghani Serashia for the Saurashtra-Kutch region; Mohammad Siddiq Seikh for South Gujarat; Mir Khan for North Gujarat; and Mujahid Nafees for Central Gujarat.
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Persons belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities was promulgated on December 18, 1992, with the declared aim of strengthening the cause of the minorities. Since then, International Minority Rights Day is observed to create awareness on rights of minorities.
Listing a list of demands, Serashia, also MCC spokesperson, said, these would include formation of a minority welfare department with the state government; having separate budget provision for minorities; setting up government higher secondary schools in minority areas; formation of minority commission in the state; recognizing madrasas as equivalent to Gujarat school boards; and announcing a separate welfare package for the minorities.
Addressing its first meeting, Nafees regretted, in Gujarat 75 per cent of the children enroll themselves in primary schools, but percentage of children enrolled in the secondary schools drastically goes down to 45 per cent. “By matriculation, just about 25 per cent of minority children remain in schools”, he added.
Calling it a “very serious matter” requiring urgent government and societal attention, Nafees said, another major issue which nags minorities is “massive displacement” of nearly two lakh families as a result of frequent riots in Gujarat, on one hand, and industrial activities along the sea coast, on the other.
“These families have come and settled down in the state’s urban areas, are living mostly in the slum areas which lack basic social and physical infrastructure”, he said, adding, “Most of these are Muslim minorities.”
Quoting the Sachar committee report, which came up with a comprehensive report on the state of minorities in India, Nafees further said, poverty among minorities is 800 per cent higher than the dominant caste Hindus and 50 per cent higher than other backward castes.

Suggesting how minorities have to depend mainly on unorganized sector in the urban areas, Nafees said, only 12 per cent of them are employed in the organized, especially manufacturing, sector, as against the national average of 21 per cent.
“While 54 per cent of the minorities work as self-employed in Gujarat as against the national average of 57 per cent, 27 per cent of them are employed in the unorganized sector in Gujarat, as against the national average of 17 per cent”, he said, indicating how a higher percentage of Muslims work as wage workers.
Despite this, he bemoaned, there is no separate minority welfare department in the Gujarat government, whose aim should be to implement the Prime Minister’s 15-point programme meant for ameliorating the plight of the minorities in education, economy and society.

Comments

When democracy becomes a performance: The Tibetan exile experience

By Tseten Lhundup* I was born in Bylakuppe, one of the largest Tibetan settlements in southern India. From childhood, I grew up in simple barracks, along muddy roads, and in fields with limited resources. Over the years, I have watched our democratic system slowly erode. Observing the recent budget session of the 17th Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile, these “democratic procedures” appear grand and orderly on the surface, yet in reality they amount to little more than empty formalities. The parliamentarians seem largely disconnected from the everyday struggles faced by ordinary exiled Tibetans like us.

Civil society flags widespread violations of land acquisition Act before Parliamentary panel

By Jag Jivan Civil society organisations and stakeholders from across India have presented stark evidence before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj , alleging systemic violations of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013 , particularly in Scheduled Areas and tribal regions.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Dr. Ram Bux Singh: Biogas pioneer’s legacy gains urgency amid energy crisis

By A Representative In an era defined by a global energy crisis and a desperate search for sustainable solutions, the visionary work of an Indian scientist from the mid-20th century is finding renewed, urgent relevance. Dr. Ram Bux Singh , a pioneering figure in biogas and renewable energy , is being posthumously honored by the Government of India, even as his decades-old innovations provide a blueprint for today’s challenges.

Alarming decline in India's repair culture threatens circular economy goals: Study

By Jag Jivan A comprehensive new study by environmental research and advocacy organisation Toxics Link has painted a worrying picture of India's fading repair culture, warning that the trend towards replacement over repair is accelerating the country's already critical e-waste crisis.

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

Protesters in UK cities voice concerns over alleged developments in Bastar region

By A Representative Demonstrations were held across several cities in the United Kingdom on March 28, as groups and activists gathered to protest what they described as state actions in India under the reported “Operation Kagar.”

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

Search This Blog