A cycle for each minority Muslim girl student – Didi’s newest benevolence

What’s of girls of other minority communities?

Parochial Bengal government sets new standard of shamelessness

Didi is indeed busy these days; while on one hand, she is leaving no stone unturned to ameliorate her government’s image through ostentatious approaches, she is also hell-bent to purge any opposition to her own cult (built up by her, along with her headless acolytes and sycophants scrupulously) – harassment of Dr. Ambikesh Mahapatra as regards cartoon of Didi and Bengal CID’s appeal to Facebook to eliminate four pictures satirizing Ms Banerjee being the latest realities.

However, this is not the whole! Didi has a more important business than all these – it is to improve socio-economic conditions of minorities, in particular Muslims, in the state of Bengal. There were such apprehensions from prior to her ascension to the citadel of power in Bengal and her Imam-special package (announced on April 3, 2012) rendering a monthly stipend of Rs 2,500 for 30,000 Imams in Bengal along with various other facilities like housing schemes and funds for education of their children did authenticate her secular credentials once more. Detractors continue to assert that these are being done to make the footing of TMC stronger in Bengal and nothing can be better than pacification of Islamists (no matter what dangers it poses to the national integrity of India) in this respect.  

But Didi is recklessly determined as usual (in her own style) and to further her own views, reigning Bengal government is all set to render a free cycle to each and every Muslim girl student and the cudgel of this responsibility falls on West Bengal Minorities Development and Finance Corporation. It has been learnt that the cash strapped Bengal government has already obtained the necessary fund for this job and Muslim girl students of both Madrasa and other schools, from Class IX to Class XII, will be provided this unique facility. Even if officials of Minorities Development have already stated that such facilities shall be given to wretched Muslim girl students only, conflicting statements have made the saga unscrupulous only.

What’s the basic reason behind such generosity?  When contacted, concerned officials stated candidly schools in Muslim areas do remain miles apart and as a result, such a decision would help Muslim girl students immensely.

We do also agree; but what the government refuses to accept is that such a fate is shared by all girl students, irrespective of religion or caste, in Bengal. Has the government ever desired to survey the existing situation of Hindu girl students or problems they do face? To cut a long story short, there does hardly remain any difference between Hindu and Muslims girls, particularly in the rural sector of Bengal. There is another question. How can problems faced by girls of other minority communities like Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and also Santhals be dealt with?

Let’s go through this fundamental principle as enshrined in the Constitution of India – The Constitution of India defines minorities as a group of people having “a distinct language, script or culture of its own.” They are recognized to be a group of people who are culturally, linguistically and scripturally different from the rest and are identifiable. It is for the upkeep of their uniqueness that the Constitution strives to protect and promote them. The above aspects of these groups of people are sought to be conserved by allowing them to set up and maintain education institutes to promote their language, culture or script.

Hence, Muslims are not the only minorities; many others do remain in the same group also. What are Didi’s thoughts in bettering them then? How can girls of these minority communities be brushed aside and Muslim girls be showered with benefits only?

This is clearly offensive; it does not represent parochialism only but does dilute the notion of minority sainted in the Constitution of India as well.

Weakness of principles of Constitution ignites forces meant for disintegration only.