Blaming the UPA for its “hesitant and tokenist” approach in implementing the recommendations of the Sachar Committee report, the CPI(M) on Monday said immediate steps should be taken in the fields of education and credit disbursal to improve the lot of the Muslims. The party said the demand of the Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians for reservation should be looked into as it is in line with the “inclusive approach” towards weaker sections. “The record of the UPA Government is extremely disappointing, especially in implementing the Sachar panel recommendations on education and credit for Muslims,” CPI(M) Politburo member Brinda Karat and party’s deputy leader in Lok Sabha Mohd Salim said. They said the Muslims are sandwiched between the UPA’s “hesitant and tokenist approach” and the BJP’s opposition of “any affirmative action” on the Sachar panel report.Describing the BJP’s opposition to the Sachar panel as “highly condemnable”, she said the party was continuing to “shamelessly level the minority appeasement charge and seeking to destabilise social harmony by opposing implementation of the recommendations”.Demanding urgent and concrete steps for the implementation of the recommendations, Karat said the Government’s record in this regard was also to “mislead Parliament and the public”.Referring to the education sector, she said the 2006 budget promise of 20,000 scholarships for Muslim students was yet to materialise, according to the Government statements in Parliament. “This is a very serious matter as it makes a mockery of the Government’s attitude towards the Sachar Committee recommendations.”Reiterating the CPI(M) demand for a sub-plan for the Muslims in line with that for the uplift of tribals, both leaders said only the West Bengal Government has so far created a sub-plan for its 2007-8 budget.Regarding the Government’s promise to provide 15 per cent priority sector lending to minorities, the leaders said the RBI’s annual report has not mentioned anything about giving priority credit to minorities.Brinda draws attention to delay in forest rights BillAsserting that rules to grant forestland rights to tribals have not yet been notified, the CPI(M) on Monday alleged that “some lobby” within or outside the UPA Government was intending to “sabotage” the Tribal Act. CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat had earlier written to PM Manmohan Singh, urging him to intervene in the issue. “Some lobby — whether it is within or outside the UPA Government or the bureaucracy — is trying to sabotage the tribal Bill,” party Politburo member Brinda Karat said. She said because of the Centre’s casual approach towards notifying rules, tribals were being evicted from their land. Karat expressed surprise over the Government’s inaction even after the Bill, christened as the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers Bill 2006, was adopted unanimously by both the Houses.
