Muslim delegation meets PM

Aggrieved at being "targeted" by "perverted" bureaucracy and government agencies, a delegation of Muslim organisations Tuesday apprised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of their grievances.

The delegation, led by Maulana Qari Mohammad Usman, President of Jamait-ul-Ulema, briefed Singh about the issues and concerns of the Muslim community.

"...the community continues to face the onslaught not only by communal forces but the perverted bureaucracy and hesitation of various government agencies to take bold steps," a memorandum presented by the delegation to Singh said. The delegation took objection to "community profiling" by security agencies and the media, non-implementation of the Srikrishna Commission report on the 1993 Mumbai riots by the Maharashtra government and sought an alternative banking system for the community.

"Innocent Muslims are being picked up across the country on flimsy grounds and even initial investigations are being leaked to the press in a way that brings entire community to shame," the memorandum said.

The leaders demanded that the home ministry stop the "witch hunting", not to publish initial investigation in a manner which would tarnish the entire community and work out a mechanism for confidence building with the community. They also wanted the entire community to be classified as socially most backward group in the OBC list.

Besides Maulana Qari, the delegation included Kamal Faruqui, Chairman of Delhi Minority Commission; Syed Aqil Al-Gharavi, Principal of the Saqalain Islamic Seminary and Zafarul Islam, President of All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat.