PRESS RELEASE
3 June 2018 Hyderabad
DISCUSSIONS AND RESOLUTIONS AT BRAINSTORM SESSION
ON 2 JUNE 2018 AT MEDIA PLUS, ABIDS, HYDERABAD FROM 3-6PM
Participants(alphabetical order):
Shri Bansi Lal, Adv K Chandrasekhar , Adv Damodar Reddy, Shri Gopal Patangay(SPI), Student Ibrahim Baig, Janab Ilyas Shamsi, Dr Lubna Sarwath(SPI), Janab Mirza Aziz Baig(SPI), Janab Mubashir Azam, Shri Rajan Sharma, Mohtarma Rehana Shameem, Janab Zafarullah Khan,
Participants collectively discussed that:
– In the order delivered by Acting Chief Justice of High court at Hyderabad, on 16th June 2017, Government of Telangana had undertaken that 1) iftar dinner at Fateh Maidan/LB stadium is not from Minority welfare funds; and, 2) it would ensure that iftar at masjids and clothes would be given to ‘poorest of poor’, and that a list with names and how it was ensured that only destitute, widows, old, orphans, and poor received it would be submitted to the High court within 3 weeks;
But, the government has not submitted the list of beneficiaries till date to the court; and contrary to undertaking given in court, Minority welfare department RTI reply indicates that iftar dinner at Fateh Maidan was indeed from funds meant for minority welfare.
– it is shame that such squander of funds and insensitivity to ‘minority welfare’ is being sanctioned through budget being passed by law makers of all political parties without any question on need of 60 crores being allocated for ‘dawat iftar & christmas feast’ for 2018-19.
– Minorities Commission has been turned dummy with no say on either allocation or usage of funds as mandated by the Minorities Commission Act.
– Sudhir Commission constituted by telangana government had called for ‘affirmative action’ i.e., optimum utilization of the minorities welfare funds for raising standards of minorities.
– Iftar is a personal affair of a Muslim and the government is politicizing it. In Quran it is clearly mentioned that God does not like extravaganza, waste and hypocrisy and that God likes those who bear a moderate attitude. And in Islam there is no class or caste basis. Then what is the VIP lounge for 1000 distinction? Is the same item of VIP lounge going to all masjids. No! Then in the name of Iftar that is a private affair of muslims government is making a political tamasha out of it.
– if government wants to show ganga-jamna tahzeeb, then all ration card holders who are Below poverty line candidates, irrespective of religion, caste, class, can be given dry fruits such as badam, walnut(akhroot), pista, figs(anzeer), kaaju, munakka(dried grapes), etc. through PDS. So that poor from all religions and caste and class can enjoy the nourishing diet of dry fruits. Lacs of poor people die without even tasting badam or dry fruits as they cannot afford it.
– on the contrary, such Iftaar parties as one-time dinners and low quality clothes, indicates that government is making beggars out of everybody;
This is absolutely feudal temperament; government is making voter corrupt and treating voter as commodity;
– Government should stop behaving like NGO. On the other hand, government’s responsibility is to strengthen the minorities through education, health, hygiene, employment, entrepreneurship, which increases the dignity of the individual as mandated in the Directive Principles of the Constitution of India.
– If it wants to give free one-time dinner at masjids and free clothes to ‘poorest of poor’ then it should rope in Corporates and ask them to handle it. Private parties may handle it.
– Reports from citizens are that there is open corruption in masjids through one lac being allotted for each masjid for iftar dinner and also through the free clothes.
– the participants wanted to know who was consulted to conduct such iftar lavish dinner as well as iftar at masjids/clothes. How did they see welfare of minorities in such embarrassing acts.
– How can religion be used for iftar parties when it cannot be used for reservation? On one hand Supreme court has said that hajj subsidy should be faced out and on other hand kcr is using religion as it suits his government’s publicity. This is contempt of supreme court order.
– Welfare funds should not be diverted to other categories but should be utilized optimally for minorities or for what ever allocated ;
– Socialists in India have always emerged as balancers whenever there was extremism in governments;
Concluded that:
– Iftar case of 2017 should be pursued in High Court on Monday for cancellation of 8 June2018 iftar extravaganza and accountability of clothes/iftars given at masaajid;
– Government should immediately cancel the extravaganza iftar at fateh maidan of 8 June 2018;
– Government of Telangana should promptly file in the high court list of all beneficiaries of clothes/iftar in 2017, as detailed in the high court dated 16june 2017 in PIL no. 134 of 2017.
– Government should promptly submit to high-court the source of funds for fateh maidan iftar of 18 June 2017;
– As mentioned in prayer of court case of 2017, all money should be recovered from those involved in the extravaganza and squander of funds;
Dr Lubna Sarwath, General Secretary, Socialist Party(India)-Telangana Unit
Shri Gopal Patangay, Vice President, Socialist Party(India)-Telangana Unit
