A curious exercise is on in Uttarakhand to map the status of minorities in the state. As exclusively reported by this newspaper on Monday, a seven-member committee constituted for the study has already held four meetings. Its primary mandate is to evaluate how effectively state-run schemes have reached minority populations, and to document the progress made in their livelihoods and education since 2000. The panel has an initial tenure of six months, but its methodology—a fresh doorstep survey or analysis of published data—is yet to be determined.
On the face of it, the objective may appear aligned with the terms of reference of the Rajindar Sachar Committee, which was formed in 2005 to report on the social, economic and educational status of Muslims, except for the fact that the ruling BJP is doctrinally opposed to Sachar’s recommendations. Those suggestions included establishing a delimitation procedure that does not reserve constituencies with high minority population for Scheduled Castes, raising the employment share of Muslims, and recognising madrasa degrees for eligibility in defence, civil and banking exams. Muslims constitute about 14 percent of Uttarakhand’s total 17 percent minority population, as per the last Census.
Critics of the new minority audit sought to connect it with the upcoming special intensive revision of poll rolls before the assembly elections due next year. They suspect its timing because of the massive deletion of voters in SIR drives elsewhere. The opposition questioned the purpose of the study since the forthcoming national Census will anyway generate the data the state seeks with greater depth and clarity.
However, committee member Manu Gaur explained the difference between the Census and the study: “The Census is a holistic exercise, whereas the work of this committee will be strictly within an academic framework.” The goal is to gather data on the impact of policies to sharpen evidence-based decision-making for minority welfare. Yet the disquiet persists, especially given that Uttarakhand is the first state to enact a uniform civil code in independent India. It’s up to the Dhami government to address all misgivings and restore confidence among the minorities. It must walk the ‘Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas, sabka prayaas’ (With all, for everyone’s development, trust and effort) talk to dispel concerns of identity politics.