'Corruption robs minorities of development'

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Sept 20: The grand minority congregation held in Guwahati on Wednesday has pinpointed corruption as the prime factor for which the minorities in Assam have been lagging behind on all fronts.

Organized by the Assam Minority Development Board (AMDB) the meeting took a number of resolutions, besides hailing the steps taken by the government for the development of minorities in Assam.

Talking to this reporter, AMDB chairman Muminul Aowal said: “It’s high time we widened the definition of the phrase ‘religious minorities’ in Assam. Over the years the definition of ‘religious minorities’ in Assam was shrunk into only the ‘minority people of East Bengal origin’. All minorities in Assam were of the view that it was corruption that hindered minority development over the years in Assam. Taking that in view, we’re going to hold a three-day tiol minority convention in November this year to discuss the problems of minorities and their solutions. The first two days of the convention, to be attended by tiol experts, will discuss the issue of corruption and find their remedies. The concluding day will be attended by Union Minister of Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas qvi and Assam Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal. A report of the convention will be submitted to the State Government.”

The meeting hailed the decision for conducting a census on minorities in the State by the AMDB, the decision to set up five community centres for as many religious minorities in the State, the decision to set up eight girls’ colleges in minority-domited areas in the State, etc. “Dispur has released for Rs 60 lakh for the census and the process has been initiated. The census will pick up its speed from November this year. Initially it will start in five districts – Golaghat, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Tinsukia and Dibruagarh,” Aowal said, and added: “I’ve taken up the issue of corruption in the AMDB earlier with the State Government. Inquiries are on towards that end.”

Apart from Muslim organizations, representatives from the Catholic Association of Assam (CAC), Asom Sikh Santha, Shree Jain Swetambhar Terapanthi Sabha, Sree Digambhar Jain Panchayat, Shree Jain Swetamber Mandir Margi Sangh, Shree Sadhu Margi Jain, Srawak Sangh, Vardhaman Sthakwasi Jain Srawak Sangh, Bodo Baptist Church Association, the Buddhist Association, etc., took part at the congregation at Circuit House in the city. As many as 51 organizations took part at the meeting that was presided over by Aowal.