CHENNAI: The gap between Muslims and other communities in the field of education is fairly narrow in Tamil Nadu, the Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz said on Wednesday.

Observing that Muslims had been lagging behind others in the area of education, Prof. Soz referred to various surveys conducted by Government and non-government organisations. "Statistics indicate that both at the primary, secondary as well as higher educational levels, Muslims have been behind in most of the States where their population is very high. UP (Uttar Pradesh), Bihar, West Bengal have been specially behind in this regard. Luckily this has not been the case in Tamil Nadu," the Minister said, taking part in the golden jubilee celebration of Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed College for Women here.

Culture, unity

Comparing the conditions in his home State of Jammu and Kashmir with that of Tamil Nadu, Prof. Soz said the minority community in Tamil Nadu had by and large eschewed the path of militancy and aggression.

It had developed a culture and ethos of pluralism, integration and a life of unity in the midst of cultural diversity.

The State boasted of many institutions run by Muslims, Christians and other minority communities which not only catered to the educational needs of the minorities themselves but to a much larger number of other communities.

He described the College as a "shining example" of minority institutions contributing immensely to cultural pluralism.

Referring to educational backwardness of the Muslims, he said this could not be attributed entirely to "official apathy and organisational negligence."

While "enlightened sections" of Christians, Jains, Parsis and Sikhs had taken the initiative of forming NGOs that could look into the long term future; utilise the best brains from within and outside the community and develop and implement plans for running of institutions, Muslims had disregarded "this cardinal requirement."

Welfare measures

The Minister referred to various initiatives taken by the Centre for the welfare of minorities. He called for a debate on the Communal Violence Bill, 2005, which, he described as, a very powerful instrument to prevent flare up of communal riots.

Moosa Raza, chairman of the Southern India Education Trust, wanted the college to rise to greater heights. Salma Salahuddin, principal of the college spoke.

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