Guwahati, Monday, April 4, 2005
GUWAHATI, April 3 – The Jamiat chief Maulana Asad Madani today gave the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government a six-month deadline to get serious about serving the interest of the minorities in Assam. He revealed his intent to topple the government if it failed to solve the problems besetting the minorities by that time. Madani criticised the present State government for its alleged failure in protecting the interests of the minorities and cited several instances, which, in his view, were causing undue harassment to the minorities. Demanding that the government should issue land pattas to them living in the riverine areas, he also called for giving citizenship cards to them.He warned that the Jamiat would even ban the entry of Congress workers to their areas if the government failed to initiate development activities for the minorities on a priority basis. Significantly, Madani made his remarks while the Chief Minister was sharing the dais with him in the general session of the Assam State Jamiat Ulama, held at the Sonaram school field today.Tarun Gogoi, who had to endure the verbal assault of the Jamiat leader, sought to put up a brave front, and countered that his government had done much for the uplift of the minorities. He referred to certain data to bolster his claim that his government had done much more for the minorities than any previous government.Admitting that there was much more yet to be done for the minorities, Gogoi said that he was not afraid of any threat or deadline, because he harboured no personal ambition to stay put as the Chief Minister. He said that he would be content to serve the people in any capacity that came his way.Earlier, speaking on the occasion, the Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Ajai Singh said that the cause of the motherland was more important than any religious consideration, and therefore the progress of the motherland should be the prime concern. He added that India was great by virtue of so many religions co-existing side by side. In today’s general session, the Assam State Jamiat Ulama (ASJU) passed a series of resolutions, including a strong defence of the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act, and demanded its extension to the entire country. It also called for March 25, 1971 to be accepted as the base year for identification of foreigners as per the arrangement of the Assam Accord.In the well-attended meet, several speakers spoke about the issues confronting the Muslim population of the State. The organisation also called for reservations of jobs in government institutions as well as academic institutions reflecting the population pattern. The issue of relief to victims of ethnic conflict was raised in the session, and several speakers pointed out the poor plight of those who had been made homeless and living without relief. The ASJU criticised the government for its lacklustre attitude in treating this issue.Referring to the perennial flood problem of the State, the organisation demanded that it should be declared as a National Problem. It also underlined the need for a permanent solution to floods and erosion, which have devastated large tracts of the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys.Today’s meeting also resented the “misguided policies” of the State Government, which led certain ethnic groups into demanding “different economic and political rights.” While the ASJU was never opposed to autonomy for the groups, it did not accept the non-representation of Muslims in such councils. The ASJU pointed out the formation of the BTAD as a “glaring example of this apathy towards the religious minority.”
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