Prof.M.H.Jawahirullah>Kerala and Karnataka have had separate reservation for the muslim community for very long. Reservation for muslims was part of the Congress manifesto during the last general election. It was also part of the Common Minimum Program of the current coaltion government. We are pressing the government to act on this.

The recent Supreme Court direction - asking the States not to exceed 50% in providing quotas to various communities has alarmed a lot of people. India is a union of many states - each with its different demographic composition. We are asking the government to change the law - to allow each of the states to set its own upper limit on percentage of reservation allowed.

We are asking the government to fully implement the Sachar Committee report - especially its direction to allot 1,00,000 crore rupees in the 11th planning commission allocations for building educational institutions that would help muslim community, its direction to allot at least 35,000 crore rupees to set up basic technology education centers (like ITI) and provide political representation to muslims from local bodies up to Parliament.

Some of these things are possible only through Central government’s action. Hence the rally is being organised in Delhi. This would also help in raising all India awareness.

Prof.M.H.Jawahirullah>A lot of organisations from Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and several other states are expected to attend. The rally would commence from Ram Lila grounds in Delhi and reach parliament. Later a delegation would hand over a memorandum containing our demands to the Prime Minister.

Many prominent leaders are expected to attend. Some of them are - Janab G.M. Banatwala (former IUML leader), Prof. Sulaiman (INL), Dr. Rashid Choudhury (Assam), Jamat-e-Islami leader Janab Farook, All India Muslim Personal Law Board member Janab SQR Ilyas, MIM Hyderabad’s Janab Owaisi, Janab Syed Sahabuddin from Majlis-e-Sherawat, Jamath-e-Ahlal Hadees’ Janab Imam Mahdi Asgar and several others.

About 10,000 people from Tamil Nadu are expected to attend the rally.

Prof.M.H.Jawahirullah>Reservation does help. Take the case of Scheduled Castes. From 1955 until mid 1970s, when compared with the muslim community, number of graduates from the SC community was quite low. Thanks to reservations, this gap has narrowed and today SC community exceeds the muslims in producing graduates. This is according to Sachar Committee report.

Prof.M.H.Jawahirullah>It is a tactic of the Brahmin community to divert attention.

Prof.M.H.Jawahirullah>It will help even a poor man to get into colleges. I have seen many examples of people benefiting from the reservation. Whether rich or poor, it is going to be someone from the community only. Vanniyar community is a good example of people who benefited from the MBC quota.

Prof.M.H.Jawahirullah>I would say education is the top priority. This is because education provides the opportunity to improve one’s living standard. If you ask some one, why he is not doing well economically, he would say he doesn’t have job or good job. He doesn’t get good job because he doesn’t have good education. If you want education, you must get admission to good institutes. This is a vicious circle.

That is why we feel primary education is very important. Our muslim community had set up many colleges in the State. There are dozens of them. But we didn’t set up as many schools. This is a tremendous handicap today.

Prof.M.H.Jawahirullah>Major portion of the work needs to be done by the government, because only the government can improve and provide the infrastructure. Take (approach) roads for example to muslim areas. This cannot be done by private bodies.

Every Jamath today controls a mosque, graveyard and so on. They must be encouraged to start a primary school. They can create an education fund for this. People must come forward to set up schools, I.T.I.s, educational centers for women. Education would be one of the focuses of the Delhi rally.

Prof.M.H.Jawahirullah>Education has been a priority from the beginning. We have addressed this issue in many of our platforms in the past.

Prof.M.H.Jawahirullah>It is a democratic country. Everyone is free to start a party. All you need is a rubber stamp and letter head. However, people will know, government will know - who has the backing of majority of the community.

Prof.M.H.Jawahirullah>We have invited many organisations to join the Delhi rally.

Prof.M.H.Jawahirullah>Except TNTJ. TNTJ is one organisation that seems determined to destroy our movement. Its leader himself has said as much.

Prof.M.H.Jawahirullah>Not at all. The present government has made a good start. Members of the muslim community are getting their due shares. On reservation, we have given one year time for the DMK government to act. There are two muslim ministers in the DMK government. You compare that with the situation during Ms.Jayalalitha’s period. Today, muslim officials are given postings based on their talent - whether as Collectors of districts or to senior police levels. This was not the case during past administration.

For improving the educational facilities of muslims, we have given several inputs to the state government. We hope to see it being reflected in the coming Tamil Nadu budget.

Prof.M.H.Jawahirullah>A lot. We have raised that issue with the government - including with the CM - at every given opportunity. It is a legal issue. Unlike other promises made by the government (like free rice etc), which can be implemented simply through a Government Order (GO), this is more complicated. Judgment on the Kovai Blast Case is expected by March or April. We also hope to hear good news on the case of other prisoners soon.

I would like to point out - after we had taken this issue seriously with the government, Ms.Jayalalitha has set up a group to monitor the issue.

On Mr.Madhani bail issue, Kerala government has shown interest. We wish our government also expeditites its action.

Prof.M.H.Jawahirullah>There are several objectives that we want to see fulfilled for the benefit of all muslims. Till that is achieved, we do not want to stand in elections. This gives us the flexibility. If you stand in elections, sometimes the bigger parties try to please you by giving a few seats in the elections. In our view, that wouldn’t benefit the community.

Prof.M.H.Jawahirullah>We will cross the bridge when we reach it. But the bridge is too far away as of now!

Prof.M.H.Jawahirullah>Over the past 12 years, TMMK had done several works. We are well known today - among the Muslims as well as Non-Muslims - for the social work we are doing. Whether it is in organising blood donation camps, ambulance services or the help rendered during the Tsunami and the floods, we have seen our cadre to be of great service to the society.

Over the next 10 or so years, we want to focus on empowerment - on the social, economic and political matters.

Prof.M.H.Jawahirullah>We are a mass-based organisation. There are no restrictions on membership. However, we expect them to be not involved in any immoral activity and to be of good character. Every member is given proper training at the start.

Prof.M.H.Jawahirullah>It is not true. TMMK doesn’t encourage Katta Panchayats. It is a large organisation. There could be a handful of miscreants, but when identified, we have taken action. In Kayalpatnam, for example, when certain things were brought to our attention, we removed a whole bunch of people from the organisation.

Prof.M.H.Jawahirullah>When TMMK was founded years ago, it was not easiest of times. To have been there right at the start as a founding member gives me happiness. To see the spirit of service deeply engrained in every TMMK member also gives me joy. I will give you one example.

This incident was narrated to me by Mr.Prakash, a special correspondent for Nakheeran magazine, at a journalism workshop. He recalled to me an incident that must have happened about 15 days after the Tsunami had struck the Tamil Nadu coast (Administrator: December 26, 2004). The scene was Nagapattinam, utterly devasted by the waves and water. Army and many other agencies were operating in the region. A TMMK volunteer enters a house - filled with corpses. The bodies were in completely decomposed state. The TMMK volunteer - without flinching a second - goes on to clear the place, removing the decomposed bodies. When asked what drives him to do such a work so faithfully, he had replied he does that for the sake of Allah, not for any earthly rewards. The correspondent told me he was moved when he heard those words. I do not know who that member was, but I am proud of him and his work.

The saddest moments are to see some people still heap criticism on TMMK - knowingly or unknowingly - without acknowledging the enormous amount of work we have done and are still doing.