Intl meet asks affirmative action for minorities

New Delhi, Dec 29: An international conference on Dalits and minorities today demanded the UPA government bring in a legislation in the next budgest session for providing reservation to SCs and STs in the private sector and also extend quota to backward Muslims in government jobs in proportion to their numbers.

The conference, attended by delegates from the US, Europe and a number of Asian and African countries noted that the minorities and Dalits had not been able to ''fully benefit'' from the rights enshrined in the Constitution so they needed special affirmative measures like reservation for their socio-econmic progress.

The conference was inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on December 27.

Briefing newspersons about the outcome of the conference, Lok Janshakti Party leader and Union Steel and Fertiliser Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, who has been elected chairman of the International Dalit Minorities Forum created at the end of the conclave, said the aim of the meet was to create social awareness about the rights of Dalits and minorities in societies across the world.

Expressing concern over the widening gap between the rich and the poor, the conference rejected the the global market pattern that promoted only a pro-rich development.

It cautioned against increasing marginalisation of the weaker sections in the globalised world and called upon these sections of the people to wage a sustained struggle against the unjust world economic order.

Mr Paswan said the delegates also adopted a resolution on the rights of Buddhists in the country which called for giving the community a say in the management of the Bodh Gaya Temple by amending the Bihar Act of 1949.

The issue of backwardness of Muslims, especially in the light of the Sachar Committee report, remained the focus of the conference.

Noting that reservation in employment and educational institution has proved invaluable help in reducing disparities, a resolution said the time has come when Muslim backwardness should be removed through reservation besides other means.

It recommended 27 per cent quota for Muslims arguing that the bulk of the community belongs to the castes which have been identified as socially and educationally backward.

The resolution also called upon the government to immediately bring a legislation for giving effect to the letter and spirit of Article 30(1) of the Constitution which gives right to religious and linguistic minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice. Such a legislation must have an enabling provision for direct central assistance, recurring and non-recurring, to institutions estblished by educationally very backward religious minorities. It also demanded suitable legislative measures, including if necessary constitutional amendment, to remove all doubts about the availablity of rights under Article 30 (1) of the Constitution to Aligarh Muslim University.

The resolution demanded early passage of the bill on prevention and control of communal riots.

The conference also passed a resolution calling upon the government to establish a ''public service TV, equidistant from the state and the market'' to disseminate unbiased news.

It also welcomed the restoration of democratic government in Nepal and demanded special safeguard for minority rights in the constitution of the country.

Mr Paswan announced the next conference will be held in USA in 2008.

UNI