PMs remark on Muslims misunderstood: Montek

New Delhi, Dec 11: Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia today put up a stout defence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's remarks on more equitable distibution of benefits for the Muslim Community, saying it was "unfortunate" that his suggestion was not being viewed in the proper context.

Dr Ahluwalia said there was no attempt to communalise or draw political mileage from the development process, but added that economy cannot be insulated from politics.

"We are not running a University here", Dr Ahluwalia told a Press Conference here adding that any economic statement without taking into account the political background made little sense in a democracy.

The Press Conference was convened to give an appraisal of the NDC meeting held on Saturday for 'Approval of the Eleventh Five Year Plan' document.

The Prime Minister's remark at the NDC meeting in this regard stirred the hornet's nest with loud protests from the BJP, as well as some Chief Ministers.

Both Houses of Parliment could not transact any business today as the BJP stalled the proceedings demanding an appolgy from the Prime Minister for his remarks.

Dr Ahluwalia read the relevant portions of the Prime Minister's inaugural address in this regard. It said: "We have to devise innovative plans to ensure that minorities, particularly the Muslim minority, are empowered to share equitably in the fruits of development. These must have the first claim on resources." The Plan Panel Deputy Chief said the Prime Minister's remarks have to be viewed in the context of the Sachar Committee's findings which have brought out how minorities, especially Muslims, have lost out in the development process.

Dr Ahluwalia said the intention of the Prime Minister's was to emphasise the need to bring all excluded groups into the fold of development, which inluded not just Muslims but also Scheduled Castes and Tribes and other backward castes and classes, whose condition left much to be desired.

Asked whether the Opposition's annoyance was misplaced and whether he would offer any advice to them, Dr Ahluwalia said political parties should understand the spirit in which the statement was made, but the Planning Commission was not in the business of giving advice on such matters to Parliament.

"The problem of minorities cannot be put under the carpet", he remarked.

UNI

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