Social Discrimination Against Muslims : Key Issues and Recommendations of Sachar Committee Report

Social Discrimination Against Muslims : Key Issues and Recommendations of Sachar Committee Report

Question: Recently, there have been instances of Muslim families and individuals being denied housing accommodation for rentals or purchase. Discuss the key issues underlying social discrimination and the recommendations of the Sachar Committee report.

• An endemic issue of urban bias has raised its head with discrimination and biases resulting in denial of housing accommodation to Muslims in Indian cities

• Surveys have also pointed to numerous types of biases wherein residents display aversion against members of the community from different castes or religions

• Access to education and economic betterment has not mitigated the problem of social bias

• Though some real estate websites have announced non discriminatory policies on listings, many home sellers and owners have been practicing societal discrimination against members of this community

• Several housing colonies are exclusionary and some are exclusive

• Apart from judicial interventions, legislative action is needed to address such discriminatory acts

Recommendations of Rajinder Sachar Committee

Background

• The Rajinder Sachar Committee had made the recommendation to set up Equal Opportunity Commission for providing legal mechanisms to tackle discrimination with respect to different matters including housing

• The Committee was constituted on March 9, 2005 for preparing a report on the social economic and educational status of Muslim community members

• The Sachar committee comprises 7 members and it was chaired by Rajinder Sachar

• Report frames issues pertaining to identity, equity and security

Salient Recommendations

• The Committee made numerous recommendations apart from the Equal Opportunity Commission which are as follows:

• Creation of a nomination procedure to increase minority participation in public organisations

• Increase employment share of Muslims, especially in areas of public dealing

• Working out of mechanisms to associate Madrasas with Higher Secondary School Board

• Recognising degrees from Madrasas for defence, banking and civil examinations and recruitment processes

• Committee also recommended sharp focus on inclusive development and mainstreaming of the community while diversity is being respected

Facts and Stats

• The Sachar Committee aimed to conduct a review of information pertaining to Muslims on their social, economic and educational status at state, regional and district levels

• It aimed to determine their socioeconomic development as well as share in public and private sector employment

• The Committee also sought to address access to health and education services for members of the minority community alone with infrastructure and bank credit

• It also determined the proportion of OBCs from Muslim community in the total population of Other Backward Classes

• According to the report, between 1961 and 2001, percent of Muslim population rose to 13.4% from 10.7%