Javed Ali Khan: ‘Need to revive National Integration Council to keep social fabric intact’
Samajwadi Party MP Javed Ali Khan talks about his demand for reviving the National Integration Council.
Samajwadi Party MP Javed Ali Khan What was the demand you raised during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha today?
The National Integration Council has not had a meeting since 2013 so my demand to the government was to revive this body. It is a very important body that used to have meetings from time to time. Whenever there were differences or need to keep the social fabric intact, the National Integration Council would help build coordination and dialogue.
Why was the need felt?
Ever since this government has come to power, they haven’t looked at the Council even once. There hasn’t been a single meeting. The objectives with which the National Integration Council was convened in 1961— to reaffirm that the foundation of our national life is common citizenship, secularism, religious freedom, brotherhood, fraternity, social and economic justice — all of these are under threat today. There is no harmony or justice. Casteist and communal organisations have a free run and some in the government are also at the forefront. For instance, the Assam CM [Himanta Biswa Sarma] recently said ‘if a Muslim rickshaw driver asks for Rs 5, then give him only Rs 4, and bother him so much that he leaves Assam altogether’. And BJP’s Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly says ‘come to me for work after converting your religion’. We routinely see videos of ruling party MLAs and MPs who say they don’t want votes of Muslims. You have seen the recent uproar over UGC guidelines on equity.
What role do you think the Council can play today?
The social fabric is in tatters today. The government needs to sit together with all and find a way out so that our social harmony is maintained. I don’t believe that the Council will be able to achieve it all, but it can provide a roadmap…
What was achieved by the National Integration Council earlier?
The Council worked earlier to help people understand each others’ views as well as give them space to criticise each other while sitting across. In the 1990s, when the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi matter was at its peak, the Council played an important role. There used to be consultations. It is not a constitutional body so it is not as if its orders were binding. But, an important characteristic of a democracy is dialogue and this council at least fulfils that.
Did your demand find any resonance with your fellow MPs?
Several MPs associated with me. Many of the Opposition MPs appreciated the demand. But, there was no response or reaction from the government. These days the government usually does not give any reaction to the issues raised in Zero Hour. When I first became an MP in 2014, a minister would at least give an assurance after hearing our demands in Zero Hour that they would look into it.
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