GIVEN the dire socio-economic conditions of minorities in the country, there is urgent need to have a Sub Plan for them separately as also 12 per cent reservation in education and jobs. This was underscored by CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury who addressed a state-level convention on these two issues in Hyderabad on October 5th as chief guest. He criticised the Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao for not implementing his poll promise of providing 12 per cent reservations to minorities if voted to power. He pointed out how the Left Front government in Bengal had given 10 per cent reservation for minorities during its tenure. He questioned why other state governments are not doing this. Both Sachhar and Ranganath Mishra committees have effectively brought out the socio-economic backwardness of minorities in the country. The CPI(M) had demanded from the UPA government reservations to minorities. That has to be addressed, said Yechury.

However with the advent of Modi government at the centre, the situation is such that no one is able to even raise that demand with the government. He charged this government of creating a sense of insecurity among minorities. He pointed out how the Modi government is trying to curtail lunch hour on Fridays in parliament from the present one and half hour to one hour only. That practice was to facilitate Muslims to go for their namaz.  Now Modi government is trying to change that to send a symbolic message.  Communists, he pointed out, are atheists and do not believe in either religion or caste. They believe in humanity. That is why they defended Muslims in Gujarat during the communal carnage in 2002. The fundamental rights guaranteed by our Constitution mandate that every citizen has right to social and economic justice. But Modi government is acting totally in negation of such rights especially of minorities.

High Court retired Justice Chandrakumar in his speech said Muslims are reeling in backwardness since decades. However after the Modi government came to power added to their misery was the sense of insecurity and fear. He demanded reservations to Muslims in proportion to their population.

CPI(M) Telangana state secretary Thammineni Veerabhadram said Muslim youth were rotting in mechanic and menial jobs, most of them living much below poverty line. Only one per cent of state budget has been allotted for their welfare. Budget is not of the government leaders and babus but of the people. He demanded Sub Plan for minorities whereby budget allocations are made in proportion to their population. Other Left parties leaders including CPI(ML) New Democracy leader V Venkatramaiah, MCPI leader Ghouse addressed the convention that was chaired by senior High Court advocate Usman Shahid.

Later the convention elected a 83 member committee to struggle for achieving the demands of Sub Plan and Reservations for minorities with Usman Shahid as chairman and Mohd Abbas as general secretary. This committee will hold conventions at district level till October 20th and then undertake a state-wide signature campaign in support of these demands from October 21st to 30th.

SPECIAL PARLIAMENT SESSION FOR

RESERVATIONS IN PRIVATE SECTOR

Earlier in the day, Sitaram Yechury addressed a workshop on ‘Reservations in Private Sector’ organised by PG College of Law (Osmania University) and recently launched ‘Struggle Organisation for Reservations in Private Sector’ (PRPS). He demanded holding of a special session of Parliament to discuss enacting a legislation ensuring this reservation. Although a letter in this regard was given to union parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu by CPI(M), there has been no response from the government, he said. Yechury announced that the CPI(M) will launch a nationwide movement on this demand to pressurise the centre. He appealed to other Left parties, progressive forces, democratic minded people and intellectuals to join this movement. Only people’s movement can realise this demand. Professor Gali Vinod Kumar, who is also the joint candidate of Left parties for the Warangal Lok Sabha bye-election, chaired the session.

Yechury said given the shrinking space for public sector in the economy, the private sector has become the place for job creation. He cited how the ruling classes prepared to outsource even parliament security to private firms. Referring to Patels agitation in Gujarat he said there is job security in that state to only 7 per cent of people. The rest 93 per cent do not have any security with labour laws not applicable to them. He charged the RSS of inciting the Patels agitation. Reminding that reservations concept came in the context of social backwardness of communities, he advised that economic benefits can be given to the upper caste poor. Although this demand of reservations in private sector was incorporated in the Common Minimum Programme of UPA 1 government, Manmohan Singh did not bother for its implementation.

Former chief secretary of Andhra Pradesh government K Madhava Rao, former High Court Justice Chandrakumar, Left parties state leaders, PRPS chairman Professor Jadi Musalaiah and others also addressed the workshop.