Releasing the abridged version of the Sachar Committee report in Kannada in the City on Thursday, MLC Hanumanthaiah said that Muslims in India have been denied social and civil rights.
“They are far behind the dalits in these respects. Even their leadership has failed them,” he said.
“If India has to progress then it should take along with them the minorities, especially the Muslims because the country’s progress should be in totality and not in sections,” he said while reading parts of the Sachar Committee report, compiled by senior writer and socialist Manglura Vijaya.
Muslims carry a double burden, of proving their identity and patriotism to the country. “This is against the international discourse on human rights,” said Prof Hasan Mansoor, president of People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Bangalore district. He added that majority of slum dwellers are dalits and Muslims. “They lag behind in all aspects of socio-economic development, which is most unfortunate,” he added.
Prof Ravivarma Kumar, former chairman, Karnataka Backward Classes Commission and Ishrath Nisar, a social activist also spoke.