DMC reiterates demand of 15 % minority quota in Delhi govt. jobs ; ‘Secular Kejriwal’ sits on it

New Delhi, 10 June 2020 [Fik/News Sources]: Strongly recommending for 15 per cent quota for minorities and fixing 10 per cent sub-quota exclusively for Muslim minority in it, the   Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) released its annual report for the year 2018-19 on Tuesday.

The  report highlighted that the representation of minorities particularly Muslims  in government and public sector jobs in NCT of Delhi is mere two percent while the  Muslim population  in the national capital is more than 16 percent.

Releasing the report at the Commission’s office, commission chairman Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan said the recommendation is based on a survey has been done by the commission about the representation of minorities in government and public sector jobs in NCT of Delhi. He said  it  is the largest survey done so far in Delhi which shows that the government and PSUs are still not inclusive as far as minorities are concerned.  According to the findings of the survey, the Muslim representation in Delhi government jobs is  less than two per cent while the Muslim population is more than 16 percent in the NCT.

 Dr Khan said the recommendation for minority reservation was sent to the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal through a letter way back last year  on March 20, 2019  and  the commission has been still  waiting the CM’s response.  The commission’s demand of minority quota is in line with the recommendations presented by the Justice (retd) Ranganath Misra Commission in its report in  2007, he added.

The annual  report offers a birds-eye-view of the work of the Delhi Minorities Commission during the preceding year and also includes recommendations of the Commission to the Government of Delhi for the betterment of the conditions of the minorities in NCT of Delhi which, as designated by Central Government, are Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Budhhists, Jains and Parsis. The report has been presented to the Government of Delhi including Lt. Governor and Chief Minister of Delhi and it  has also been sent to all MPs and MLAs of NCT of Delhi.

 On the diversity index survey, Dr Khan said its findings are based on the responses  received from 117 departments and Public Sector Undertakings (PSU).  He said several departments such as   Delhi Development Authority (DDA), South Delhi Municipal corporation, East Delhi Municipal corporation, Delhi Technological University, Delhi Commission for Women, University of Delhi, Jawaharlal Nehru University, National Law University, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Maulana Azad Medical College and Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology etc did not provide any information regarding representation of minorities.

 After  noticing dismal Muslim representation in Delhi government jobs, I  have sent a letter to the CM  on March 20 last year, asking him to reserve 15 per cent of jobs for the minorities, including 10 per cent for Muslims but there was  no response to it so far, the chairman Dr Khan told reporters while highligtings the achievements of the commission.

The letter sent to the CM was attached  to the annual report. He said that the Congress-led UPA-government had constituted a HighLevel Committee under Delhi High court former chief justice Rajendra  Sachar to ascertain  the overall state of affairs  of the Muslim community. Based on Sachar Committee report of 2006, the Justice(retd) Rangnath Misra Commission in its recommendations stated that to set “15 per cent reservation for all minorities, including 10 per cent for the Muslim community, excluding the creamy layer in the government jobs”.

However, the Misra Commission report presented in May 2007, but it did not see light as  then UPA government in its both the terms did not muster courage even to table it in Parliament.

“It is our strong recommendation that the Government of NCT of Delhi should come forward and implement the recommendations of the two reports in full in the NCT of Delhi. This will convey a great message about your government and party among the minorities in the country who form over 20 per cent of the population”, Dr. Khan said in his letter to Arvind Kejriwal. But Kejriwal has neither replied to the letter until now nor taken any action on it.

 The findings of the survey debunk the saffron propaganda about “appeasement” of Muslims by the Congress and non-BJP parties, he added.

 The annual report underlines that,“There is no marked improvement in Muslim representation in Delhi government services despite many promises and schemes in the wake of Prime Minister’s 15-point programme, Sachar Committee Report of 2006 and Justice Misra Commission Report of 2007”.

According to the report, out of a total of 80,880 police personnel in the Delhi police, only 1489 or 1.84 per cent are Muslims.

Likewise, the Muslim representation in Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation Ltd, Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and North Delhi Municipal Corporation is one per cent, 0.53 per cent, 2.93 per cent and 1.28 per cent, respectively. Similarly, Muslim percentage in Delhi Transport Department and Urban Development Department is 0.72 and 0.93, respectively.

 The Commission  strongly reiterated its demand of quota for minorities in its report  that the Government of NCT of Delhi has  “to fully implement the recommendations of the Sachar Committee and Misra Commission reports in its area of jurisdiction”.

It also suggested that, “If need be, minority quota should be fixed and representation of minorities on the selection committees made mandatory.”

 On the occasion, the Commission  also announced   name of the awardees, it gives awards  under 14 categories  including  Communal Harmony, Community Service, Human Rights, Non-Government Organisations, Promotors of Punjabi, Promotors of Urdu, Sports, Supporters of Minorities, Teachers of Substance, Print & Electronic Media persons, Outstanding Schools, Special Awards, Life-Long Achievement. This year 178 awards have been given under these categories. Two new categories, Special Awards and Lifetime Achievement Awards, have been added to the list this year.

It is to be noted that it  is  the third and  final annual report of the  present commission as its three-year term comes to an end in July next month.  since  its formation   in June 2017, the commission  has taken up minority issues and problems  pro-actively which did no go down well with the powers that be.