Concerned at the 'woeful' attitude of the government towards the minority community, the Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid on Tuesday threatened to launch a 'medicos-like' nationwide agitation to press for a special economic package for riot-hit Muslims and reservation in government jobs.
In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Shahi Imam said the minority community will be forced to hit the streets 'for getting acceptance of demands like those of anti-reservation people.'
He said a delegation had met Dr Singh last month and presented a memorandum demanding an economic package for riot-hit Muslims on the line of one given to victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots and reservation of jobs for Muslims in central and state governments.
"But till date, I do not know anything regarding the initiatives taken by the government," Bukhari said.
Noting that the government had agreed to the demands of anti-quota medicos by increasing the seats in higher education sector, which will incur an extra burden on the exchequer, he said that though he welcomed such a decision, he was 'concerned' that the government's attitude towards Muslims was 'woeful'.
In the memorandum submitted to Dr Singh, the delegation had also demanded immediate release of Muslims detained under Prevention of Terrorism Act in Gujarat and Maharashtra. They also sought an immediate halt to alleged atrocities on Muslims in Assam on the plea of checking foreign nationals, restoration of the minority status for Aligarh Muslim University, unconditional talks with 'popular and responsible' leaders of Kashmir and evacuation of illegal occupants from Waqf properties.
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