AURANGABAD: Experts on Friday stressed on the need for Muslims to overcome their dependence on the state and to initiate steps in the direction of obtaining modern education and technical knowledge.

They were speaking at the inauguration of a two-day seminar on 'What ails Indian Muslims', organized by the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University's political science department and the Centre for Promotion of Democracy and Secularism (CPDS) on the university campus.

Delivering his key note address, former vice-chancellor Jamia Millia Islamia Mushirul Hasan said, "Muslims for long have been dependent on the state but now they need to initiate self-actions and by the collective actions they should move in the direction of modern education and technical knowledge which would benefit the society."

Hasan appealed to the 'ulemas' (religious leaders) to come forward and interpret Islam in a dynamic way, saying that Islam has successfully spread across the world because of its quality of adaptability. He also asked the Muslims to participate in various ongoing struggles like environment, dalits and women.

"Nothing is fundamentally wrong with the community, though it has some resistance towards education.This is can be sorted out simply. But contrary to the perception, Muslims have always been in the national mainstream and they have successfully identified themselves with the regional cultures," he said.

Speaking about the demand for reservation to Muslims, Hasan said that Muslims need some kind of reservation, not necessarily on the lines or principles of religion but on the basis of backwardness.

He lambasted various political parties for doing nothing but lip service to the Muslims and using Muslims as vote banks. Regardless of the political parties in power, the Government of India lacks the affirmative actions for Muslims, fearing the allegations of appeasement of the minorities, he added.

CPDS director Syed Zaheer Ali said, "The problems the Muslim community faces are internal as well as external. They are looked upon as a monolithic community, mainly by two groups - the Pan-Islamists and the Hindu rightists. But, when observed closely, it is found that they are also divided on the lines of race, sects and region."

Former justice of the Bombay high court Babu Malaparley said, "The 86th amendment has made free education a fundamental right for the age group of 6-14 years and the Muslims should make it a point that they do not lag behind in education. He appealed to the Muslims to relieve themselves from the self-imposed isolation and abstain from further becoming victims of political retrofit and appeasement.

Speaking about the reservation to Muslims, he said that reservation in India by our founding fathers was a short-term action aimed to bridge the gap and there should be affirmative action by the society and institutions.

