– Dr. Jawed Alam Khan
The present government at the centre claims that it will make India a developed nation by 2047. If we study the economic history of the country after Independence, it followed a mixed economic system in 1950, under which both the government and the private sector were to play their roles as needed in the country’s economic development. To achieve this goal, the first five-year plan was announced in 1951, and this five-year planning continued until March 31, 2017. However, under the new economic policy in 1991-92, the private sector was given prominent space in various fields, and from that time, the economic system shifted away from socialist and mixed systems to liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation.
Private investors began to dominate in all the economic sectors, and eventually, the central government dissolved the Planning Commission in 2014, replacing it with NITI Aayog. The purpose of NITI Aayog was to promote private sector investment, but the government claimed that this institution would function as a policy think tank to strengthen the federal structure, or cooperative federalism, between central and state governments. However, analysis shows that NITI Aayog has not yet achieved its goals, and instead, it has focused on promoting the private sector in policy matters across all sectors.
In 2014, a new change was witnessed on the economic, political, and social levels within the country. Speaking of economic matters, the leaders of the ruling party made big promises during their 10 years in power, including better days, reduced inflation, increased employment, “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas” (Together with everyone, development for all, trust of all), and depositing 15 lakh rupees into every individual’s bank account. Additionally, major policy announcements such as the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Jan Dhan Yojana, and Make in India were made.
In recent years, promises have been made to take the country into the ‘Amrit Kaal’ and to make it a developed India by 2047. However, the claim of making the country a developed nation by 2047 seems like a dream when considering the current economic situation, which can be explained through World Bank statistics. The World Bank states that to become a developed country, the per capita annual income should not be less than $13,846, whereas India is still far behind in this regard. Currently, the per capita annual income in the country is $2,500. However, per capita annual income is not a suitable indicator for measuring development, as the country’s wealth is currently concentrated in the hands of a few industrialists.
If we also look at the political situation of the country, according to the ruling party and its supporters, a “New India” has been created since 2014. The notable aspects of this are the intent to make the country opposition-free and low role of Muslim at the political and decision-making level. Instead of making democratic society, efforts are being made to promote majority ruled country.
Through use of government institutions, attempts are being made to make decisions and implement policies based on majority faith and culture. Despite the government’s claims of maintaining a secular system, its most prominent political leaders and ministers are associating themselves with a particular religion, attempting to convey that secularism is against the country’s culture.
For last many years, Muslim representation in the central government or in several provincial government institutions has become almost non-existent. Moreover, Muslim participation in all government institutions is also decreasing. At the policy and legal levels, if we examine the situation, in the “New India,” the ruling party has made issues related to Muslims, such as the Babri Masjid, CAA-NRC, Article 370, Triple Talaq, the Conversion Bill, the Waqf Bill, or the Uniform Civil Code, the most important issues of the country.
On the social level, to spread hatred and instil fear among Muslims, extremist organisations are continuing the practice of mob lynching. To further intimidate the Muslim population, bulldozers are being used by several BJP ruled states, which is a blatant violation of Supreme Court rulings. Additionally, to economically boycott Muslims, Muslim shopkeepers are being instructed to display nameplates on their shops to identify themselves.
To address the aforementioned economic, political, and social issues, it is important to first understand what kinds of political, social, and community organisations are working within the Muslim community for their development, and what the state of their leadership is. Only then can we explore what these organisations can do to resolve these challenges.
There is no important organisation, platform, or business chamber of commerce dedicated specifically to solving the economic issues of Muslims. Very few Muslim industrialists are doing work to improve the economic condition of Muslims through their profits or welfare funds. As far as political parties led by Muslims are concerned, there is no national party representing Muslims. Although some regional parties in certain provinces are playing a role in representing Muslims to some extent, they have not been able to expand their political circles.
Overall, when discussing the leadership of the community, it is primarily in the hands of groups formed based on sect and ideologies. These parties are established on the basis of being either followers or non-followers of certain doctrines, and they have a cadre presence from villages to Delhi. These organisations are active in various fields such as education, health, and economics, as well as in matters related to religious affairs.
Furthermore, these parties also participate in political activities, both directly and indirectly. The Muslim Personal Law Board holds the responsibility for deliberating on and finding solutions to issues strictly related to religious matters, while the custodians of shrines and khanqahs also play a significant role in community leadership. Also, there is a network or federation of Muslim organisations for discussions and consultations on community and national issues.
The author has had a relationship with some of the organisations mentioned above for several years, and through observations and analyses of their work, it is evident that these organisations are doing commendable work in many areas. However, there are numerous issues at the national and provincial levels where they have not yet been able to prove effective.
When it comes to working for the betterment of Muslims, several notable initiatives can be mentioned, the most important of which is empowering the community economically, educationally, politically, and socially. Nearly two decades ago, the Sachar Committee also noted in its report that Muslims are facing issues related to identity, security, and equity. Based on the recommendations of the Sachar Committee, some policy initiatives were announced by the central government. Under the Prime Minister’s 15-point programme for the welfare of minorities, numerous policy measures were taken concerning the educational, economic, and security issues of Muslims. And, several projects were launched under a multi-sectoral plan to improve education, employment, and basic facilities in Muslim-majority areas. The 15-point programme emphasised connecting minorities with various schemes to enhance participation in government jobs, access to loans, and promote employment, and the government issued official guidelines to achieve these objectives. However, at that time, the central government was unable to pass bills related to protection from riots and certain rehabilitation measures.
An analysis of the 15-point programme and the schemes of the Ministry of Minority Affairs reveals that the implementation situation has been quite poor over the past 10 years. Overall, the budget for minorities has been reduced by nearly 40%, and many schemes and institutions have been closed down.
The analysis also reveals that there has not been sufficient improvement in the implementation of these schemes, and the community organisations have not worked as they should have on monitoring and research. Also, there has been a lack of policy advocacy for minority-related schemes. Similarly, since 2015-16, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been implemented in the country as a major policy agenda through NITI Aayog, with the objective of ensuring that no person in the country is left behind in the race for development. The aim is to achieve the multidimensional development objectives for all sections of society by 2030 through 17 development goals. However, there is neither awareness among our community organisations regarding the development agenda of the United Nations and NITI Aayog, nor have they been able to participate in its implementation so far.
The inability of many community and social organisations to effectively carry out their work or to take an interest in various national and communal issues can be attributed to several reasons. In this regard, political scientist Dr. Manzoor Ali (Giri Institute of Development Studies, Lucknow) states that there is a lack of training to develop better knowledge and specific advocacy skills regarding national and communal issues within the community leadership. Many leaders of these organisations consider themselves to be institutions in their own sphere and feel they try to remain in positions of power and leadership for extended period of time.
There is a lack of interest in preparing the next generation of leadership. There is also a lack of coordination between different organisations, as well as a lack of consultation and democracy within the organisations. Moreover, there is a noticeable absence of unity among various community and social organisations working in different fields. It is crucial to create unity among all organisations to address current issues. According to them, these organisations can establish an appropriate joint platform at the district, provincial, and national levels to solve public issues while maintaining their sectarian and ideological identities. This platform can effectively address all the common issues of our community mentioned earlier. Dr. Manzoor Ali also states that the public expects their leaders to create a common platform to convey their issues and voices to various government and non-government institutions in the country.
The analysis revealed that, at present, the community leadership among Muslims is held by religious organisations, and the role of various regional political parties in this regard is quite limited. The biggest challenge facing Muslims at this time is to increase their representation at both the central and provincial levels, alongside significant issues concerning their protection.
Empowering Muslims economically is also a major challenge. There are various opinions within the Muslim community and among different parties regarding increasing political representation. Many people believe that solutions should be sought through various secular parties to enhance Muslim representation. However, it is also suggested that Muslims should form their own political party at the national level. Some individuals argue that Muslims should withdraw from politics altogether and focus on empowering the Muslim community in the fields of education and economy.
To address the issues mentioned above, all Muslim organisations working within the country should come to a consensus on how to increase political representation and the inclusion of Muslims in various institutions, as well as what measures can be taken to ensure the protection of ordinary Muslims.
Looking at several major religious, community, and political organisations for many years, and through observing and analysing their work, it becomes clear that these organisations are doing quite well in many areas. However, at the national and provincial levels, there are still many issues where they have not been able to prove effective.
When it comes to working for the betterment of Muslims, there are several noteworthy initiatives, the most important of which is to empower the community economically, educationally, politically, and socially. Approximately two decades ago, the Sachar Committee also mentioned in its report that Muslims face issues related to identity, security, and equity. Based on the recommendations of the Sachar Committee, the central government made some announcements regarding policy measures.
Under the Prime Minister’s 15-point programme for the welfare of minorities, several policy measures were taken concerning the educational, economic, and security issues faced by Muslims. Also, various projects were initiated under a multi-sectoral plan to improve education, employment, and basic facilities in Muslim-majority areas.
Under the 15-point programme, provisions were made to connect minorities to various schemes aimed at enhancing participation in government jobs, access to loans, and promoting employment. And, the government issued official guidelines to achieve these objectives. However, the then-central government was unable to pass bills related to riot protection and certain resettlements. An analysis of the 15-point programme and the schemes of the Ministry of Minority Affairs indicates that the implementation situation has been quite poor over the past 10 years. Overall, the budget for minorities has been reduced by about 40%, and many schemes and institutions have been closed down. The analysis also reveals that there has been a lack of improvement in the implementation of these schemes and insufficient monitoring and research by community organisations. Furthermore, effective policy advocacy for minority-related schemes has not been carried out.
Similarly, since 2015-16, the United Nations has been implementing the SDGs as a major policy agenda of the country through NITI Aayog. The aim is to ensure that no individual in the country is left behind in the race for development, and the 17 development goals seek to achieve the multidimensional development objectives for all sections of society by 2030.
The SDGs advocate that national governments ensure that minorities do not fall behind in any developmental matters. Furthermore, the SDGs emphasise the need to empower minorities economically and ensure their representation and inclusion in all national institutions. Given the current threats to the safety of Muslims, the SDGs stress that national governments fully protect the rights of all minorities. The SDGs also propose that all national governments submit a report to the United Nations every two years regarding the progress made towards all development goals.
The responsibility for this work has been entrusted to NITI Aayog. In addition to NITI Aayog, non-governmental organisations also play an important role in preparing the report. Through this report, the shortcomings in the government’s efforts can be made accountable at the international level. Generally, the current government rejects such questions raised internationally, stating that they are internal matters. Since the government has made a promise to the United Nations after signing the SDG charter to implement it with social inclusion, it is essential that community and social organisations monitor the government’s performance at the national, provincial, and district levels. There is neither awareness among our community organisations regarding the UN and NITI Aayog’s development agenda, nor have they been involved in its implementation so far.
The inability of community and social organisations to effectively address many issues or their lack of interest in various national and community matters can have several reasons. In this regard, political expert Dr. Manzoor Ali (Grih Institute of Development Studies, Lucknow) states that there is a lack of training and capacity-building to develop better knowledge and advocacy skills regarding community and national issues within community leadership. Many organisation leaders consider themselves to be institutions and believe they should remain in positions of power, such as being wealthy or president, for an extended period.
There is also a lack of interest in preparing the next generation of leadership by the Muslim organisations. There is a deficiency of coordination among different organisations, a lack of consultation and democracy within the organisations, and a noticeable absence of unity among community and social organisations working in various fields. And, it is stated that there is an urgent need to foster unity among all organisations to address current issues.
According to them, these organisations can create a suitable joint platform to solve public problems at the district, provincial, and national levels while maintaining their sectarian and ideological identities. This platform could successfully address all the common issues mentioned above concerning our community. Dr. Manzoor Ali also states that the public currently expects their leaders to create a joint platform to voice their issues and reach out to various governmental and non-governmental institutions in the country.
[The author is associated with the Institute of Policy Studies and Advocacy. jawedalamk@gmail.com]
