Will Muslims raise their voices? Will Muslim leaders engage with government officials? Will there be protest rallies?
Mohammad Alamullah | Clarion India
LIFE has become increasingly challenging for minorities under the BJP government. Recently, the Ministry of Minority Affairs shut down Maulana Azad Education Foundation, sparking fears that educational opportunities for the already marginalised sections will further nosedive. The decision is being viewed in some circles as a deliberate attempt to hinder Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, and others from accessing education. Some others see it as part of a broader agenda to suppress minority communities.
The Maulana Azad Education Foundation, established to support educationally disadvantaged sections of society, was being funded by the Ministry of Minority Affairs. However, this arrangement was abruptly terminated on February 7 with the ministry closing the foundation.
Maulana Azad, a revered leader in the Indian independence movement and the country’s first education minister, played a significant role in shaping the education sector. Institutions like IITs and AIIMS were established under his guidance, contributing to technical and medical education.
The closure order of the foundation also resulted in the dismissal of 43 contractual employees.
Each year, thousands of Muslim students and hundreds of Muslim educational institutions benefited from the various educational schemes offered by the foundation.
The Maulana Azad Foundation, established in July 1989, operated as a non-political, non-profit society registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860. Its active work commenced in the financial year 1993-94 when the central government allocated the first installment of its corpus fund, amounting to Rs 5 crores. Subsequently, the second tranche of Rs 25.01 crore was released in 1995-96, with the corpus fund steadily increasing to Rs 750 crores by 2011-12.
With the establishment of the Ministry of Minority Affairs in 2006, the foundation was brought under its purview while maintaining its autonomy. During the 12th plan, the government revisited the foundation, aiming to enhance its impact. Consequently, the corpus fund was doubled from Rs 750 crores to Rs 1,500 crores, with particular emphasis on fostering economic empowerment among minority children and nurturing leadership qualities in them for a brighter future.
The Maulana Azad Education Foundation played a crucial role in providing support and opportunities to minorities. It aimed to uplift disadvantaged sections of society by offering educational and economic assistance, thereby contributing to their overall development. The significant increase in its corpus fund during the 12th plan underscored the government’s commitment to empowering minority communities and fostering their socio-economic advancement.
The objective of the Maulana Azad Education Foundation was to promote educational, social, and economic development, fostering social equality, harmony, and national progress. Additionally, it aimed to raise awareness about justice, freedom, secularism, and socialism in society, conduct research to identify the challenges faced by minorities, establish information and counseling centers, libraries, book banks, and provide economic assistance to empower minorities, particularly through training for self-employment.
However, in recent years, many schemes of this foundation have been arbitrarily discontinued. Since the inception of the BJP government, there has been a gradual strangulation of its activities. Data obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) reveals a concerning trend. In the financial year 2020-21, the Maulana Azad Education Foundation was allocated a budget of only Rs. 82 crores, out of which merely a sum of Rs 80 crores was released. Throughout the year, the central government spent a mere Rs 63.5 million on various foundation schemes. Similarly, in 2019-20, although a budget of Rs 90 crores was allocated and released, only Rs 37.5 crores were utilised. The story repeated in 2018-19, where despite a budget allocation of Rs 125.01 crore and a release of Rs 123.76 crores, only Rs 36 crores were spent.
These figures highlight a worrying trend of underutilisation of funds meant for the upliftment of minority communities, indicating systemic neglect of the foundation’s objectives under the current government.
Between 2014 and 2018, there was a different trend regarding the Maulana Azad Education Foundation. During these four years, a total of Rs 113 crores were allocated to the foundation, and the entire amount was both released and utilised by it. This period saw consistent support from the government towards the foundation’s objectives.
However, for the year 2021-22, the budget allocation for the foundation was slightly increased to Rs 90 crores. Despite reports in Urdu newspapers about this development, there was a noticeable lack of outcry from the Muslim community itself. As a result, the momentum behind the Maulana Azad Education Foundation, which was established with the noble goals of social equality, harmony, and national development, gradually faded. Ultimately, this neglect led to the complete closure of the foundation by the government.
Before its closure, the Maulana Azad Education Foundation was operating four key schemes:
- Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship: This scholarship aimed to support meritorious girls from minority communities. Female students in classes 9 and 10 received Rs 10,000, while those in classes 11 and 12 received Rs 12,000.
- ‘Ghareeb Nawaz Rozgar Scheme’: Launched in 2017-18, this scheme focused on enhancing the employability of youth from minority communities. It offered short-term courses for skill development, although a similar scheme called ‘Learn and Earn’ was already being run by the central government.
- Bridging Course in Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia: Under the ‘Nai Manzil’ scheme, bridging courses were conducted for madrassa graduates and school leavers to facilitate their transition to higher education.
- Swachh Vidyalaya: This scheme aimed to promote cleanliness in schools. Additionally, the foundation also administered the ‘Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Literacy Award,’ which recognised individuals and organisations contributing to education. However, since 2005, no award has been given in this category.
These schemes were designed to address various needs of the minority communities, ranging from education to skill development and sanitation. The Maulana Azad Education Foundation’s website and list of activities no longer include the Maulana Azad Memorial Lecture and Awareness Program, which was initiated to promote the education of minority girls in Class 9.
It is significant to note that during the UPA government’s tenure, the corpus fund of the Maulana Azad Education Foundation was increased from Rs 750 crores to Rs 1,500 crores. However, since the change of government, the Ministry of Minority Affairs has only allocated Rs 1,362 crores to its corpus fund. The foundation generated Rs 100 crores annually from the interest on this corpus fund, which was typically spent on its infrastructure.
In 2015, the former Union Minister for Minority Affairs, Najma Heptullah, announced plans for constructing a new foundation building. Despite assurances, no progress has been made on this front.
During the 112th Operating Council and 65th General Assembly meeting of the Maulana Azad Education Foundation in 2019, Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi stated intentions to encourage madrasas to integrate with mainstream education by training teachers from various institutes. However, this initiative did not materialise.
In 2017, the central government announced a scheme through the Maulana Azad Education Foundation to provide Rs 51,000 as “shaadi shagun” to encourage Muslim girls across the country to pursue higher education. However, this scheme has yet to be implemented. Interestingly, on March 8 of this year, the Punjab government announced a similar initiative, offering Rs 51,000 as a “marriage omen” to minority girls who have received the Begum Hazrat Mahal National Scholarship from the Maulana Azad Education Foundation, provided their parents’ annual income does not exceed two lakh rupees.
Earlier, during the 57th General Body meeting and the 101st Governing Body meeting of the Maulana Azad Education Foundation, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi announced plans to establish the first global education institute for underprivileged, backward classes, and minorities in Alwar district, Rajasthan. The foundation stone was to be laid, and the institute was expected to start functioning by 2020. However, investigations reveal no progress was made on this before its closure. Despite the Rajasthan government providing 15 hectares of land in Rapipali village, Alwar district, for the educational institution, the project did not move forward.
It is worth mentioning that the UPA government, like the current government, made several promises and announcements, many of which remained unfulfilled. In 2013, former Minority Affairs Minister K. Rehman Khan announced plans for the Maulana Azad Education Foundation to establish five universities. Additionally, the foundation aimed to set up a data bank to collect information on the educational status of minorities. Moreover, Maulana Azad Chairs were to be set up in various universities to conduct research on minority issues. Furthermore, public schools and polytechnics were also proposed to be established through public-private partnerships (PPP). However, these plans largely remained on paper.
Rehman Khan also stated that a total of Rs 500 crores had been allocated for establishing these institutions. Additionally, Rs 10 crores were earmarked for setting up 3 to 5 public schools and Rs 5 crores for establishing polytechnics. Furthermore, Rehman Khan informed the Lok Sabha about plans for three universities, including the Tipu Sultan University of Science and Technology in Bengaluru, Khawaja Gharib Nawaz Professional, Technical and Vocational Education in Ajmer, and Bihar University. Rafi Ahmed Qidwai University of Health and Medical Sciences was also to be established in Kishanganj. However, despite these announcements and promises, none of these institutions materialised.
Questions now arise: Will Muslims raise their voices on this matter? Will Muslim leaders engage with government officials? Will there be protest rallies?
Senior journalist Afrooz Alam Sahil regretted the apathy shown by the Muslim community. stating, “I don’t understand why we always react late. I have been vocal about this issue for a long time. In 2014, I met several prominent Muslim politicians and tried to draw national leaders’ attention to this matter. I warned them that if this trend continued, the Maulana Azad Education Foundation would face closure. In June 2021, I provided detailed information about the situation, highlighting the foundation’s imminent derailment. Unfortunately, my warnings went unheeded. I even suggested forming a delegation to meet government authorities, but it seems it’s too late now, and the foundation’s closure is indeed a tragic outcome.”
It’s worth noting that Afrooz Alam Sahil has gathered substantial information on this issue through RTIs and has extensively covered it in his writings.
