Rajya Sabha MP Parimal Nathwani met Union Minister for Minority Affairs, K Rahman Khan in Delhi with a list of problems faced by the minorities in Jharkhand.
These problems include demand to provide recognition,mid day meal fund to the Madrasas,appointment of Urdu teachers and payments to Block Resource Persons (BRP)/ Cluster Resource Persons (CRPs).
During the meeting of Nathwani with the Minister on March 20, President of Jharkhand Students’ Union, S. Ali and others were present.
Nathwani informed Rahman that Madrasas in Jharkhand were not recognized by the Jharkhand Academic Council and there is no separate Jharkhand Madarsa Board.
Due to this, the students of these Madrasas were deprived off the Central Schemes such as mid-day-meals under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan of the Centre , he added.
On the basis of the memorandum submitted by the Jharkhand Students’ Union about the appointment of Urdu teachers in Jharkhand, Nathwani stated that reserved posts of Urdu teachers for SC/ST were lying vacant because of non-availability of Urdu teachers from these categories.
JPSC had invited applications in 2008 and 2010 for appointment of 4401 Urdu teachers in Jharkhand. Out of this, 1055 posts were reserved for ST and 504 posts were reserved for SC, but no application was received from these two categories and as a result, 1559 positions of Urdu teachers remained vacant in the State. Similarly, due to the same reasons, 29 posts of Urdu lecturers also remained vacant.
Nathwani suggested that the reservation rules needed the change in such a way that the education of students was not affected due to the vacant posts of the teachers. He said, at least, the vacant posts of Urdu lecturers and teachers should be opened up and filled by women or minority candidates.
Nathwani also brought to the notice of the Minister that the payment to the BRPs and CRPs in Jharkhand were only Rs.9,000 and 10,000 respectively.This was a meager sum in comparison to other States. He also stated that BRPs and CRPs didn’t have any protection under the Labour Laws and were deprived off all the benefits of Provident Fund deduction, Privilege Leave etc. He further asked for a level playing field for BRPs and CRPs in order to provide impetus to the implementation of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in the State.
Nathwani requested Rahman to act on these demands and provide relief to the minorities in Jharkhand. Among those who met Ramhman included Ali, Isme Aazam, Imran Ansari, Fazulul Quadir, Abdul Hakim and Ikram Hussain.The Minister gave them a patient audience and assured them of necessary action.
