STRENGTHENING MUSLIM VOICE IN CIVIL SOCIETY
The situation of marginalisation of Indian Muslims has been amply explained by Prime Minister’s High Level Committee or Sachhar Commission. Reports have also appeared in the newspapers on the social, economic and education status of Muslims, which vindicated the point made by CADAM/TPMS/NACDOR, which have been campaigning for proportionate resource allocation for SCs, STs, OBCs and Muslims. Muslims over the years have been pushed to the margins in several domains of economic and political life despite being one of the dominant classes in the country. There exists differential share in the ownership of land, jobs, services, businesses and other resources. CADAM launched its Muslim Programme, Teh reek-e- Pasmanda Muslim, focusing on muslim empowerment to realise their entitlements as equal citizens. It was proposed that this special campaign focusing on Muslim community in India will ensure assertion by the Muslims, particularly the Muslims from the backward sections, for their rights to development assistance while enjoying all the services provided by the government.
Three state conferences were organised to build the Muslim voice in 2008-2009. These conferences were held in Rajasthan, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. More than 500 activists and leaders from these states participated in these conferences. UP, Rajasthan and Bihar state conferences to build Muslims’ voice released their Manifesto of Musilm Voice, which was widely covered by print and electronic media.
National Conference to Build Muslim Voice was held on 20-21 December, 2008, in Ahmadabad in Gujarat, which incorporated the State Manifesto of Muslim Voice and Muslim Women’s Manifesto and the same was released in the National Consultation at Ahmadabad.