Isolate communal forces in West Bengal: Buddha

Admitting that Muslim representation in government jobs in the state was very low, the Chief Minister said, however, that creation of job reservations for religious minorities was not a solution.

8220;Some people had suggested that we reserve jobs for the minorities. I told them I am not irresponsible. The moment the government introduces job reservation, it will lose its case in the court,8221; he said.

The solution, instead, should be to facilitate higher and professional education for minorities, enabling them to participate in the state8217;s economy in a better way.

He said a large number of Muslim children studied in madrasas and reiterated his appeal to the authorities of non-affilliated madrasas to accept the education modernisation programme introduced by his government.

8221;Let the students be trained in Arabic and the Koran but they must also learn Mathematics, English and computers to keep pace with the demands of the modern world,8221; he said.

The Chief Minister said some political parties were accusing the Congress and the CPM of appeasing minorities.

8220;If this is true, why is the condition of the Muslims so bad even after 60 years of Independence?8221;

Referring to the Sachar Committee report which slammed the state government for the plight of the Muslims, he said while there had been 8216;weaknesses8217; in the government8217;s efforts to improve their condition, the Committee had overlooked that most of the 1.35 crore acre of land distributed in the state had gone to poor Muslim farmers.

8220;It did not take into consideration that most students of the state8217;s 66,000 primary schools are Muslims,8221; he said.

Education loans amounting to Rs 5.85 crore were being given by the West Bengal Minorities Development and Finance Commission to 274 students during 2007-08.

Earlier, Commission Chairman Md Selim said of the total amount allocated by the Centre for the development of minorities, 40 per cent was spent in West Bengal.

Stating that the Commission8217;s success in accessing loans to poor students of the minority communities was due to a peaceful atmosphere in the state and the non-partisan attitude of the bureaucracy.

Minority Affairs Minister Abdus Sattar said that the government would introduce scholarships for 3 lakh per-matriculation students from the next fiscal to help them take vocational courses for employment.