S
Shruti Dasgupta
Guest
The recent closure order issued by the Ministry of Minority Affairs shuts down the Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF). The Central Waqf Board came forward with the proposal for this closure. On 7th February 2024, a letter for the same was issued by the Ministry. The MAEF scholarships and NGO grants issued by the foundation were discontinued in 2022. A report states that fund mismanagement and fundings to spurious NGOs were the primary causes of the closure.
The issue is a low-burning fire ready to take Bharat by surprise. Many Indian Muslims feel that this closure is a direct rejection of ‘vikas’ for their community. Let’s uncover a few facts and rumors that surround this ‘abrupt’ closure!
PC Hindustan Times
The order to shut down the MAEF is signed by the Ministry’s under-secretary Dhiraj Kumar. This order mandates the dissolution of MAEF and the direct reallocation of its funds without offering any substantial public justification. Officials term it an “internal matter”! However, the secrecy behind the causes has birthed rumors and speculations in the public!
PC X @WaqarHasan1231
A rumor suggests that meetings are scheduled on 4th March on the closure. It hints at forthcoming deliberations and directions, yet the agenda remains shrouded in mystery. Reports suggest that the Central Waqf Council is also keeping mum about the entire thing. Although their recommendation for the closure is no secret, their silence adds fuel to the ambiguity surrounding the decision.
The order by the Ministry of Minority Affairs directs MAEF to propose a plan for legal closure, citing its financial status as of November 30, 2023.
The land, buildings, assets, and employee rolls will go to the CWC. All pending liabilities, last known at Rs.403.55 crores, must be made known to the National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC).
The mild voices of dissent are claiming that the foundation was a huge pillar of Muslim society. The fact is that the foundation became operational in 1989 and issued scholarships its 2022. In its 35 years of operation, the foundation issued more than 6,700 scholarships. Many new government schemes, that treat all minorities equally, are already in place. They fund thousands of worthy students from the rainbow of minorities in Bharat. Thus, the loss in MAEF is not a big dent in the Muslims of Bharat.
The nay-sayers are saying that funds to the foundation were lowered to 1 lac in 2022-23 and nil in 2023-24. Furthermore, they claim that the slashed budget allocation to the Ministry Of Minority Affairs may be behind the closure! They forget that the MAEF had funds more than Rs.1,000 crores.! It really did not need further funds to further education among Muslims. Thus, the slashed budget and the decreased funding are a convenient half truth.
The only thing the public should be concerned about is the suspicious ‘internal’ cause of shutdown. Reports of financial irregularities may be the true cause of the closure of the MAEF!!
PC foej.in
The Ministry of Minority Affairs’ closure of MAEF will serve as a wake-up call to the sleeping ‘peaceful’ Andolanjeevi soon. The only reason they are quiet as of now may be due to the suspected wrongdoings in funds and the rumor of an upcoming meeting.
A low-grade burn is already on social media platforms. A JNU professor already predicts that the loss of MAEF will adversely affect Muslim students.
A leader of the Social Democratic Party of India is already claiming that the closure is a denial of minority rights to Muslims. Words like ‘marginalization of Muslims’, ‘unfortunate order’, and ‘hurting the Muslim community’ are slowly activating the trend of Victimhood. The order has the potential to allow Muslims to raise a hue and cry about a foundation that never really did much for them anyway.
The MAEF’s closure was a pro-secularism act. The government should not be funding community-specific foundations while also shouldering the burden of other minority schemes. Should Muslims make room for the micro-minorities in Bharat? The smaller communities deserve equal if not more help from the government. Thus, the closure of MAEF for any reason is an end to discrimination in the name of religion supported by the government. Let’s see how the victim card will be played in the coming days. Hopefully, another ‘peaceful’ protest shall not burn Bharat in universities and on the roads!
The post Ministry Of Minority Affairs Closes Maulana Azad Education Foundation appeared first on The Jaipur Dialogues.
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The issue is a low-burning fire ready to take Bharat by surprise. Many Indian Muslims feel that this closure is a direct rejection of ‘vikas’ for their community. Let’s uncover a few facts and rumors that surround this ‘abrupt’ closure!
The Closure Order Issued By Ministry Of Minority Affairs
PC Hindustan Times
The order to shut down the MAEF is signed by the Ministry’s under-secretary Dhiraj Kumar. This order mandates the dissolution of MAEF and the direct reallocation of its funds without offering any substantial public justification. Officials term it an “internal matter”! However, the secrecy behind the causes has birthed rumors and speculations in the public!
PC X @WaqarHasan1231
A rumor suggests that meetings are scheduled on 4th March on the closure. It hints at forthcoming deliberations and directions, yet the agenda remains shrouded in mystery. Reports suggest that the Central Waqf Council is also keeping mum about the entire thing. Although their recommendation for the closure is no secret, their silence adds fuel to the ambiguity surrounding the decision.
The order by the Ministry of Minority Affairs directs MAEF to propose a plan for legal closure, citing its financial status as of November 30, 2023.
The land, buildings, assets, and employee rolls will go to the CWC. All pending liabilities, last known at Rs.403.55 crores, must be made known to the National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC).
Budget Cuts: Convenient Half Truths?!
BIG
MAJOR BLOW TO DUBIOUS FUNDING by .@smritiirani Ji!@MOMAIndia has ordered closure of Maulana Azad Education Foundation, for mismanagement & Suspicion of WRONG FUNDING. Proposal was by Central Waqf Council.
As of 30 Nov 2023, MAEF has funds ₹1073.26 Crores with… pic.twitter.com/4QCUfmmPoU
— My India My Pride (@munothbharath) March 1, 2024
The mild voices of dissent are claiming that the foundation was a huge pillar of Muslim society. The fact is that the foundation became operational in 1989 and issued scholarships its 2022. In its 35 years of operation, the foundation issued more than 6,700 scholarships. Many new government schemes, that treat all minorities equally, are already in place. They fund thousands of worthy students from the rainbow of minorities in Bharat. Thus, the loss in MAEF is not a big dent in the Muslims of Bharat.
The nay-sayers are saying that funds to the foundation were lowered to 1 lac in 2022-23 and nil in 2023-24. Furthermore, they claim that the slashed budget allocation to the Ministry Of Minority Affairs may be behind the closure! They forget that the MAEF had funds more than Rs.1,000 crores.! It really did not need further funds to further education among Muslims. Thus, the slashed budget and the decreased funding are a convenient half truth.
The only thing the public should be concerned about is the suspicious ‘internal’ cause of shutdown. Reports of financial irregularities may be the true cause of the closure of the MAEF!!
Beware: The Victim Card Will Soon Be In Play
PC foej.in
The Ministry of Minority Affairs’ closure of MAEF will serve as a wake-up call to the sleeping ‘peaceful’ Andolanjeevi soon. The only reason they are quiet as of now may be due to the suspected wrongdoings in funds and the rumor of an upcoming meeting.
A low-grade burn is already on social media platforms. A JNU professor already predicts that the loss of MAEF will adversely affect Muslim students.
A leader of the Social Democratic Party of India is already claiming that the closure is a denial of minority rights to Muslims. Words like ‘marginalization of Muslims’, ‘unfortunate order’, and ‘hurting the Muslim community’ are slowly activating the trend of Victimhood. The order has the potential to allow Muslims to raise a hue and cry about a foundation that never really did much for them anyway.
The MAEF’s closure was a pro-secularism act. The government should not be funding community-specific foundations while also shouldering the burden of other minority schemes. Should Muslims make room for the micro-minorities in Bharat? The smaller communities deserve equal if not more help from the government. Thus, the closure of MAEF for any reason is an end to discrimination in the name of religion supported by the government. Let’s see how the victim card will be played in the coming days. Hopefully, another ‘peaceful’ protest shall not burn Bharat in universities and on the roads!
The post Ministry Of Minority Affairs Closes Maulana Azad Education Foundation appeared first on The Jaipur Dialogues.
Continue reading...