The Muslims in Telangana are considered the most impoverished community among all as lack of proper patronage from the government, no schemes to ensure their overall development and meager source of survival has left them to the tender mercies of trials and tribulations. As a result, the minority community are now completely in thrall of poverty and penury in the state due to their unending socio-economic issues.
According to some community activists, the socio-economic issues, feeble literacy rate and lack of opportunities for higher education has gripped the community with vice-like-grip. Cherry on the top is the ineffective minority institutions such as Minority Commission, Wakf Board, Urdu Academy and Minority State Finance Corporation that outrightly fails to render support or justice to the Muslims whenever the need arises.
“In the absence of proper patronage from the government, atleast the Minority Commission should come forward to extend support to the battered Muslims. However, the institution remains dysfunctional since the last two years leaving the distressed applicants in disquiet,” bemoaned Mohammed Rashed Khan, the Secretary Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee.
Finding fault with the way the Minority Commission was turned into a defunct body, he said, almost a month has passed after the term of Chairman was extended. However, neither the Chairman nor the staff took charge of the office yet while the applicants are waiting for the doors of commission to be open to address their grievances.
“There were several issues like non-implementation of schemes, harassment and discrimination in government institutions that need to be resolved through the Commission. However, the only door opened for the minority community to approach for justice too was blocked for years,” lamented Rashed.
Pointing out towards the issue of Telangana State Minority Finance Corporation, an institution which was remained defunct for four years, he said, “Though the BRS government announced revival of loan facility from the institution in the month of March keeping an eye over the proposed general elections next year, no selection of beneficiaries were completed yet while over 2.60 lakh subsidy loan applications were heaped-up in the corporation ever since the announcement was made.”
Similarly, he further said, the implementation of the Overseas Scholarship Scheme and Fee Reimbursement scheme came to grinding halt in the state while scores of students remained distant from the benefit. Apart from this the implementation on four percent reservation in the state too reached an impasse.
Eschewing any mention of the suffering of Khadeer Khan’s family would be unjust who was reportedly tortured by the police and later succumbed to the injuries. Khadeer’s family is still waiting for justice.
“The threadbare institutions – that were formed to serve the Minorities in the state, have failed to serve the very purpose and led to add woes to the sufferings of the people from minority community as well as the students in the state,” the Young Congress leader said.
In such a scenario, he said, there is an urgent need to overhaul these institutions. Apart from this, the KCR government should introduce Muslim Bandhu scheme for Muslims in state on par with Dalit Bandhu or else the dissent against the BRS government among the Muslims will grow further and reflect on the results of the upcoming elections in the state,” Warned Rashed Khan.
