Addressing minorities

There are better ways for a Government to address the grievances of the minority communities in the country than to announce meaningless sops for them which do little to socially or economically empower them in a sustained manner. Unfortunately, vote-bank considerations in the past virtually institutionalised the easy way out, with some political parties even going to the extent of offering religion-based reservations in Government employment and educational facilities. If the last attempt has failed to take off, one must be grateful to the courts for disallowing the pernicious move.

The Narendra Modi-led NDA Government has so far, thankfully, kept away from populist politics its predecessors practised in their bid to woo the minorities, though it has had to pay for it by way of a perception, which its opponents have been spreading, that the Government is disdainful of the concerns of the minority communities. Rivals of the Bharatiya Janata Party have discovered that it's easy to perpetuate this impression because they feel the BJP already has a historical baggage of being ‘anti-minority'. Nonetheless, the minority community has seen through the charade, especially of the Congress, and this why the latter has faced rout after electoral rout in States and the Centre.

The minority groups have also realised that decades of populist announcements by the Congress and like-minded parties have made little difference to their socio-economic status. The discontent is there, and it is now for the BJP-led regime to effectively address it. Whether a successful initiative in this regard will eventually lead to the minority communities (particularly the Muslims) whole-heartedly electorally supporting the BJP, is a different issue. In any case, the Union Government must not be over-concerned by this aspect; it must simply do its best and leave it to the wisdom of the voters to take a call at the polling booths. What the Modi regime must concentrate on now, is to implement sound schemes targeted at minority welfare.

To do that, it is important to first reach out to the community leaders and lay members, understand their priorities and grievances, and thereafter shape the plans and programmes. To this end, the initiative that the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs has taken to hear the Muslim mind across the length and breadth of the country is most welcome. Minister of State for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is already touring India, meeting various minority groups and collecting feedback.

This should come in handy for the multi-city conclaves that the ministry has planned, where it hopes to directly connect with the Muslims and other minority communities. Such dialogues are essential because, often, lack of communication results in the creation of negative impressions — such as on the practise of yoga or the ban on beef by certain States. While the forum can be an occasion for the Government to relay its intent and actions taken or planned to be taken, it will also serve as a platform for the minority communities to relate their apprehensions and seek solutions. It is possible that there will be spoilers who will want their two-minute glory in the media glare. But the collective will of the community can dampen their negative agenda.