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NEW DELHI, Nov 2: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday called for Muslims and other minorities to get their fair share of civil service jobs in Hindu-dominated India but stopped short of calling for a US-style affirmative action programme.
“It is essential that communal peace and harmony should be maintained and the minorities get a fair share in central and state governments jobs,” Singh told a conference of India’s minority welfare commissions.
“The Indian state has the solemn obligation to protect life and liberty of all citizens, particularly those belonging to the minority communities.”
Muslims make up 13 per cent of India’s 1.1 billion population while Christians make up around two percent. Sikhs and Buddhists are among India’s other minorities.
The call came after the Indian Express newspaper reported last month that Muslims across India were severely under-represented in government employment.
In his speech Thursday, Singh urged a targeted approach for implementing development schemes for minorities but did not call for affirmative action.
“The main factor responsible for socio-economic backwardness of the minority communities, particularly the Muslim community is the lack of access to the common school system,” Singh said.
Increasing opportunities for education “should be a priority area,” the premier added.
Singh also urged India’s state governments to deal firmly with those threatening to “disturb communal peace and harmony.”
“Those who are affected by communal riots must be provided with effective relief and rehabilitation assistance. There should be regular monitoring about the effectiveness and adequacy of such assistance.”
“This nation does not belong to any single race, least of all to any group of religious extremists,” he warned.
Religious strife is not uncommon in India.
In 2002, some 2,000 people — mostly Muslims — were killed in riots that were sparked off by a mob torching a train compartment carrying Hindu activists.
In 1992, Hindu-Muslim riots claimed more than 2,000 lives.
—AFP
