Dear Friends,
Jai Hind!
Subject: Whither India? Minority Welfare. Are Hindus Outcastes?
We once again, we strongly re-iterate that we are apolitical by conscious decision, non-communal and nationalist. In any case, we are not anti-Muslim.
We have deliberately raised the question about the status of Hindus in India. Are they outcastes in their Motherland in the eyes of the government? The NDA government must answer and not evade.
Let us all in this context, we read the press report from The Times Of India of May 8, 2016.
Quote (.)
‘Sharp rise in minority welfare funding’
Akhilesh Singh | TNN | May 8, 2016, 04.48 AM IST
Minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi presented the figures in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
NEW DELHI: Despite the NDA government’s run-ins with NGOs and the impression that it is “unfriendly” to minority institutions, there has been a sharp rise in central funds sanctioned to voluntary organisations and other entities empanelled under free coaching and allied schemes for minority communities.
Figures presented by minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in Lok Sabha on Wednesday show that disbursals in 2014-15 recorded a significant jump over 2013-14 when UPA was in office. Replying to former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa’s question, Naqvi gave a detailed reply stating that in 2014-15, Rs 3,051 lakh was sanctioned to 96 NGOs and other organisations for free coaching and allied schemes for minority communities. This further increased in 2015-16 with Rs 4,486 lakh sanctioned to 68 NGOs. Under UPA in 2013-14, the amount released to 93 NGOs was Rs 1,946 lakh.
Among states, Andhra Pradesh (including Telengana) was the biggest beneficiary receiving Rs 1,095 lakh in 2014-15 and Rs 160 lakh in 2015-16 against Rs 398 lakh sanctioned in 2013-14. Uttar Pradesh, which has a large concentration of minority communities, received Rs 430 lakh in 2014-15 and Rs 559 lakh in 2015-16. During the UPA tenure, the state was sanctioned Rs 443 lakh but the amount was for 20 NGOs whereas NDA disbursed almost the same amount to 16 NGOs.
The Rs 559.05 lakh in 2015-16 went to 13 such organisations. The minister informed about free coaching and allied schemes, ‘seekho aur kamaao’ and ‘nai roshni’, under minority affairs ministry. After NDA took over, Rs 46 crore and Rs 191 crore were sanctioned under “Seekho aur Kamaao” in 2014-15 and 2015-16 respectively. In 2013-14, Rs 16 crore was sanctioned. Under “Nai Roshni” government sanctioned Rs 13 crore (2014-15) and 14 crore (2015-16) against Rs 11 crore in 2013-14.
Unquote (.)
Friends, the above press report has provoked us to raise the question as in the title. If untrue, let the UPA government must issue a suitable denial or answer the questions demanded by the vox populi:
1. Is there a need for “minority welfare funding”?
2. Please tell on the floor of the house or by a press release the total amount spent on minority development work in say 2015-2016 when the current NDA government have been in power.
3. Have the current NDA government been moved by either the constitutional authority namely the Minority Commission or by the illegal Ministry of Minority Affairs?
4. Is the welfare of the Hindus not the responsibility of the NDA government. The various welfare schemes publicised are for all communities, including the minority communities. In that sense, the minorities are having the best of both the worlds.
5. Will the NDA government undertake schemes for the Hindu poor, especially in the villages. The poor Hindus stand identified.
Well, Friends, if you will agree, please do not sit idle. Join us, and do two things:
A. Protest.
B. Write to the NDA government as many of you can in your own ways.
C. Seek an answer about any scheme for the poor Hindus in the villages, especially.
D. Advise us if we can do anything else in practical terms.
Vandemataram,
Your sevak,
D.C. Nath
