Exclusion studies centres can play important role to undertake studies in Dalits, especially among Muslims in India and other religious minorities, said Prof. Sukhadeo K Thorat, Chairman, Indian Institute of Dalit Studies (IIDS).
Clarion India
HYDERABAD – “Why religious minorities like Muslims are still behind Dalits and Adivasis in jobs, higher education, housing and other areas. SC and STs have got reservation and could find better ways in getting education, jobs and all other public benefits,” said Prof. Sukhadeo K Thorat, Chairman, Indian Institute of Dalit Studies (IIDS), New Delhi and former chairman, University Grants Commission.
Prof. Sukhadeo K Thorat was delivering a keynote address online on the topic “Why Inter-group inequality still persists?” at a seminar “India @ 75 and status of socio-religious groups in India” organised by department of economics, Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) in collaboration with IIDS, New Delhi and Roxa Luxumburg South Asia (RLS).
Democracy 2022 dialogue series
This was the second dialogue under Democracy 2022 dialogue series. The inaugural session of the programme was presided over by Prof. Syed Ainul Hasan, Vice-Chancellor of MANUU. Dr. G C Pal, Director, IIDS, also presented his message to the seminar.
Dwelling on the area of intergroup inequality that persists even now, Prof. Thorat said in India the problem of discrimination is more in the private sector than at the government level. He advised the MANUU to take up studies in the areas where Muslims lack in India. Exclusion studies centres can play important role to undertake studies in Dalits, especially among Muslims in India and other religious minorities. The gap between various religious minorities can also help us to understand the problems of backwardness and exclusion in India.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Ainul Hasan said that the MANUU has been looking for opportunities for equal and inclusive development. In this context, he asked Prof. Thorat to guide the University in its future research and development.
Tauqueer Ali Sabri, RLS evinced keen interest in collaboration with the MANUU and providing fellowship to PhD fellows to travel abroad supported by RLS through a selection committee.
A book “Reading Minorities in India: Forms & Perspectives” authored by Dr. KM Ziyauddin, Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the seminar was released on the occasion.
Why Muslims deprived?
Prof. Vinod Kumar Jairath, former HCU of the department of sociology, chaired the session “Socio-economic status of Dalits in India”. Prof. Aseem Prakash, Dr. Prashant Kain, Dr. R Thirunavukkarasu were the panelists for the session. Prof. Danish Moin, head of the department of history, MANUU, chaired the session “Status of Religious Minorities in India”. The panelist Prof. Tanweer Fazal discussed about Muslims in Pre-independent India. “Why Muslims are gradually getting deprived? Is it due to reservation to other communities in India or lack of resources to Muslims,” questioned Prof. Amirullah Khan whereas the other panelist Dr. Salah Punathil puts questions of identity and rights of Minorities in India.
The session on “Socio-economic Status of Adivasis in India” was chaired by Prof. Afroz Alam and Prof. Shahid Raza. The panelist were Prof. Ajailiu Niumai, Prof. Ramdas Rupavath, Prof. Kham Khan Suan Hausing. Dr. A Nageshwara Rao, Dr. Ziyauddin, Dr. S Abdul Thaha, Mr. Mustajab Khatir were the moderators for technical sessions.
Prof. Sukhadeo Thorat also chaired the concluding session with Dr. Shabana Kesar, Madhu Chandra, Tauqeer A Sabri, Prof. Kancha Ilaiah being the panelists
