IMO News Service
This is no longer a hidden fact that
the Indian Muslims are faced with problems on all fronts – be it social,
economic or political – and they no longer enjoy their deserving place in the
country. There is a long list of issues and problems, their protection is at
stake and they are leading a very deplorable life from social and economic
point of view. There has been a general realization during past few years that
the Sachar Committee and the Ranganath Mishra Commission have encircled the
issues and problems plaguing the Muslim society to a large extent but these two
reports have become victims of politicization.
What shall be the role of Muslims in
their dear country India that is progressing leaps and bounds on daily basis,
what shall be their destiny and the approach map to reach it, what shall be the
basis of their progress in the light of Muslim and Islamic viewpoint and
analysis, and what shall be the parameters of growth and progress in the light
of Islamic rules and within the framework of Indian constitution – these are
some of the salient features of Dr. Javed Jamil’s paper titled ‘Muslim Vision
of Secular India: Destination & Roadmap”.
The approach paper is important
because it is the first comprehensive approach paper for trying to analyze the
Muslim Perspective of India’s goals of development and developing a national
level multi-faceted, holistic strategy for the socio-economic empowerment of
Muslims within the parameters of Islam, Indian culture and national interests,
The paper not only makes a critical analysis of national policies and presents
a Muslim perspectives of the direction in which the growth is taking place in
the country, it also critically analyses the problems of the country especially
related to economic disparity, erosion of human values, spread of social evils
and overriding negative impact of economic forces; and critically analyses the
problems Muslims are facing and discusses the various issues involved. It
covers almost all range of issues from religious education to modern education,
employment, absence of Muslims in corporate sector, problems in medium and
small scale industries, issues related to Islamic Finance sector, urban
developmental issues, rural issues, health issues, importance of NGO sector,
empowerment of women within Islamic framework, social and security issues,
issues related to media and many more.
It presents a plan that views
Muslims as second largest majority capable of influencing all the policies and
programmes being pursued in the country; but at the same time it regards them
as “minority” in India from the constitutional point of view which should be
given all the rights that are their due in that capacity. Again it emphasizes
that as poor and deprived Muslims are part of the majority of the country which
remains poor and deprived in almost all walks of life.
The Approach Paper also discusses in
detail the ideological perspectives of the issues confronting the country and
the community; and argues for a planning that combines ideological and
practical approach to achieve the ultimate objects in minimum possible time.
Another point that the paper
highlights is that the development of the country cannot be complete unless (1)
it involves and benefits all the sections of society in an admirable way; (2)
it takes along with it all the communities of the country without anyone of
them feeling alienated, discriminated or left out; (3) It covers all the
regions and states of the country; (4) It gives an equal emphasis on urban and
rural development; and (5) It ensures that the growth and development take
place without erosion of the moral values, strong family system, social peace
and Indian cultural framework. It presents a plan the Way the Approach paper of
the Planning Commission presents covering all the aspects of Muslim life. The
paper argues that we should make a plan without compromising the basic
principles of comprehensiveness, simultaneity and distribution of work followed
by sustained monitoring and reassessment.
A salient feature of the paper is
the facts and figures that are collected from several sources and their
analysis for arriving at the possible solutions. It argues that the political
empowerment of Muslims should occur in a way that not only Muslims get a due
share in governance but they play a proactive and meaningful role in all the
national and international affairs. It wants Muslims to develop into a dynamic,
globally thinking community, aggressive in making efforts on all fronts not
only for their own development but also for the establishment of a purer,
healthier and more peaceful country as well as the world.
Another important aspect is that Dr.
Jamil not only shows mirror to the problems affecting the community but also
goes on to give reasonable solutions that are worth implementing. Some of these
include:
·
Introduction
of Applied Islamics in higher religious
as well as modern institutions aimed at making a critical analysis of the
developments of the world from Islamic point of view and application of Islamic
principles for proposing alternative models for the betterment of mankind;
·
Converting
mosques into Islamic centres within the boundaries provided by respective
Islamic fiqhs (jurisprudence) under the supervision of Ulema so that the
mosques can help in the development of Muslims as a morally upright, socially
well-behaved community;
·
creation
of an extensive infrastructure for educational pursuits at all the levels and
in all the possible fields; and the use of education for the over-all
development of human beings as morally upright and socially useful creatures;
Usage of Technology in Educational growth; Private Investment in Education;
Network of Private Muslim Girls Schools; Working with RTE and the Governments
Strategic Plan; Establishment of Higher institutions with at least 100
universities and other higher centres in next 10 years; Muslim Women
Universities, Muslim Sports Colleges; econd language status in the country,
Urdu departments in all universities and degree colleges, Special Summer Camps
for Urdu and Moral Development, Urdu speaking courses on the line of English
speaking courses;
·
Establishment
of a People’s Corporate for greater participation of Muslims in the Corporate
Sector because without an adequate representation in Corporate Sector in every
capacity, neither Muslims can develop nor the nation can achieve its ultimate
goals. (Wealth Generation within the parameters of Islam and the requirements
of Indian Constitution must be one of the top priorities if peace and
prosperity are to be achieved); also emphasison medium and small scale
industries and trading;
·
Continuous
efforts for establishment of Islamic financial institutions in India;
·
Sustained
high-pinched campaign for hygienic conditions for Muslims and establishment of
peace colonies in the cities to ensure a hygienic living for Muslims to fulfill
their social, religious and cultural needs;
·
Development
of a health infrastructure at every level with the involvement of Muslim
medical and paramedical force to meet the health needs of the community;
Corporate cum charity Hospitals in big cities; De-addiction Centres and Islamic
Counselling
·
Equal
emphasis on urban and rural Development;
·
Establishment
of a healthy and morally upright media in the country with the active
participation of Muslims;
·
Proper
use of NGO sector as a tool of change in the right direction and empowerment of
common people; empowerment of women within Islamic framework; building an
all-religion alliance against dirty economics (commercialization of human
weaknesses, economic disparity, corruption, etc); and, building a more peaceful
world through cordial relationships with all the countries of the world
including Muslim countries
The Approach Paper gives more
emphasis on Solution rather than merely analyzing the problem and suggests more
than 160 measures in various fields. It emphasizes coordination between the
governmental and community institutions as most of these measures require
efforts at both the levels.
The demands from the government
include not only demands related to Muslims but also related to the common
problems of Indian people. Some of them are:
·
Introduction
of “fundamental prohibitions” in the constitution to be able to eradicate
social evils and the “dirty economics”;
·
Introduction
of “Right to Health” as the fundamental right that must have an overriding
impact on all the activities;
·
Adoption
of policies that counters economic disparity including a tax structure that
collects more revenues from the rich than the poor masses);
·
Corruption
at all levels – government, corporate, NGOs – must be uprooted through suitable
measures including a well meaning Lok Pal Bill;
·
More
representation of Muslim in Ministries (in accordance with population) both in
Centre and States,
·
Steps to
ensure greater representation in Parliament and Assemblies,
·
Ways to
ensure greater participation of Muslims in civil services, military and other
administrative services (Central and provincial),
·
Establishment
of Equal Opportunities Commission at the earliest;
·
At least
10 per cent reservation of Muslims as a whole with 75 per cemt reserved for
Muslim OBCs (any suitable workable formula can be developed that safeguards the
interests of all the concerned parties);
·
Special
efforts to ensure road connectivity to Muslim localities and villages, better
municipal conditions and uninterrupted power supply;
·
Facilitate
establishment of higher Muslim institutions: establishment of at least 5 Muslim
women universities and 5 Muslim Sports Colleges;
·
Demand
for allotment of at least 20 per cent budget to Muslim NGOs;
·
Demand
for passing of Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice
and Reparations) Bill, 2011” without any further delay; and
·
To
facilitate establishment of Islamic financial institutions in the country
including Islamic Banking.
·
A
National Drive for Hygiene; Comprehensive Programme for Control of AIDS
Dr. Javed Jamil’s paper is being
seen with great optimism in certain sections of the society and it remains to
be seen up to what extent the Government of India make use of this report. A
blueprint or rather a roadmap to the progress of Muslims in the country has
already been prepared and it is upon the decision-makers to see that adequate
measures are taken for its implementation. The concluding remarks by the author
are worth reproducing here:
“This paper is in effect a
preliminary description of Muslim Vision of India. India of their dreams is the
leader that guides the mankind to developing a healthier, purer, and more
prosperous and more peaceful world, with the fruits of development reaching
every human being living anywhere in the world irrespective of his caste,
colour, creed and faith. Muslims do know that, despite having emphasis on
certain aspects of development, their vision is not entirely different from the
vision of their fellow countrymen belonging to other religions; and this is why
they have reasons to feel confident that their vision of India will be realised
one day with the support of all Indians. Indians on the other hand need to
realise that India cannot reach its destination until Muslim becomes active
partners in this pursuit. Muslims need the support of their countrymen and the
countrymen must not fail them.”
The Man behind the Work
Dr. Javed Jamil is quickly emerging
on the international scene as a thinker whose amazing versatility is compelling
the world thinkers to appreciate his work and admire the comprehensiveness of
his approach in dealing with contemporary issues. He has already propounded
several remarkable theses in various fields that range from Community Medicine
to Physics, from Social Sciences to Economics and from international affairs to
religion. His works include The Devil of Economic Fundamentalism, The Killer
Sex, In Search of a Comprehensive Solution for AIDS, Rediscovering the Universe,
Beyond Einsteinian Limits, Islam means Peace, he Essence of the Divine Verses,
Islamic Model for Control of AIDS, Scientific and Social Theories derived from
Qur’an, Family Welfare in Islam and Islam and Science. If the novelty of work,
freshness of approach, depth of thoughts, ability to influence the world and
capability of revolutionizing knowledge are the criteria of greatness, Dr Javed
Jamil should soon find a place in the greatest thinkers of the contemporary
world. His theory of economic fundamentalism and his concept of Peace
Economics, his dynamic theory of health and universal theory of relativity and
his novel approach in Applied Islamics are great enough works to give him a
permanent place in the history of knowledge. His recent work, “Despite
Shortcomings, Muslims are Most Civilised in the world” recently attracted huge
debate on international internet forums. His coming works also include
“Scientific & Social Concepts derived from Qur’an” and “Westernism: the
Ideology of Hegemony”.
Dr Javed Jamil was the first
to organise a public demonstration against the Shah Bano case verdict. He ran
several health and education related projects and presented Islamic Models of
Family Welfare and AIDS Prevention, which generated a lot of debate in the 1990s.
His current focus is on presenting a Muslim perspective of India’s foals of
development and to work for making Muslims a vibrant community that can play a
meaningful role at national and global levels. This is represented in his work,
“Muslim Vision of Secular India: Destination & Roadmap”.
