Minor issue major ammo for BJP

NEW DELHI: In a development that could offer the BJP an opportunity to mount an offensive against the UPA government over ‘communal quota’ and consolidate the splintered Hindu votes, Union home minister Shivraj Patil on Wednesday said the UPA government was considering ways to provide reservation for minorities in educational institutions and government services.

Although the promise is being repeated at regular intervals by the ruling regime’s leadership, there was expectation that the BJP success in cornering the government on ‘Muslim appeasement’ would bring in some moderation.

In the recently-held Gujarat election, Mr Narendra Modi had highlighted government’s ‘failure to contain jehadi menace’, its ‘reluctance to execute the SC order against Afzal Guru’, the promise of ‘communal quota’ and ‘light-footed approach’ towards Pakistan for reviving the unease in the majority community against ‘appeasement’.

Mr Patil, referring to the demand for reservation, said: “If something is needed to be done it should be done. We have to apply our mind as to how best to do this, and the Government is looking into this aspect.” He was speaking after inaugurating the annual Conference of State Minorities Commission here.

Sensing trouble, Arjun Singh, whom his political rivals describe as the “Sultan of appeasement”, said there was no such proposal before the government. “The Centre has not taken any decision on the demand for reservation on religious basis,” he said.

The issue is quite tricky for the government as it was only recently that the Andhra Pradesh high court struck down a Muslim quota ordinance on the ground that it was unconstitutional.

Coming back to Mr Patil’s address, he indicated that the government was not averse to the idea of giving land to landless members of the minorities. Besides, he said minorities will continue to enjoy their constitutional right to propagate their religion. “In some countries, citizens have the right only to profess but not to propagate their religion, but in our country they have the right also to propagate their religion, and this right will be protected,’’ he said.

He, however, said in today’s era of liberalisation, minorities should explore avenues of self-employment like setting up their own industrial units. Mr Patil also laid emphasis on opening of more educational institutions, whether by the government or by private players so that everybody could have access to education. He added it was the duty of the government to provide full opportunities of development to minorities and protect their life property and culture.

In his address, Mr Patil said the government would look into the demand of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) for investigative powers, if it helps them in their job. Earlier, NCM chairperson Mohammad Shafi Qureshi in his welcome remarks, had demanded more staff and powers, and constitutional status for the Commission. He said that he was disappointed to find the absence of a minority sub-plan, as recommended by the NCM, in the 11th Plan document.