1. Elections for Panchayati Raj Institution and effective decentralisation of power down to the Panchayat level.

2. Establishment of Department of Minority Affairs, directly under the Chief Minister.

3. Creation of Joint Committee on Minorities in the Bihar Legislature.

4. Introduction of Reservation for Muslims and Other Backward Classes in both Houses of the Legislature as well as in the Panchayati Raj Institutions, in proportion to their population at the functional level.

5. Empowerment of the State Human Rights Commission for the defence and protection of human rights in accordance with the Constitution and International Covenants, Conventions and Declarations and for the investigation of form and extent of discrimination against the minorities and other weaker sections of the people with a view to suggest suitable remedial measures.

6. Empowerment of the State Minorities Commission for the defence and protection of minorities rights in accordance with the Constitution 'and International Conventions and Declarations.

7. Determination of citizenship status in doubtful cases, in accordance with law, through Tribunals established under the IM(DT) Act, 1983.

Physical Security

8. Provision of uniform compensation for loss of life, limb, property and honour of the victims of social violence on par with those of Anti-Sikh Disturbances in 1984 and such payment to all victims and the next-of-kin since 1989.

9. Expeditious disposal of criminal cases relating to communal disturbances in Bihar since 1989.

Educational Advancement

10. Establishment of State Council for Minority Education, as a statutory body, to facilitate recognition and affiliation of and grant-in-aid to minority educational institutions.

11. Publication of community-wise cross-tabulated census data on education and empioyment in Bihar.

12. Unconditional use of Urdu as medium of primary education and as the First Language under the Three Language Formula, with timely supply of Urdu textbooks and appointment of Urdu and Urdu medium teachers according to total requirement, assessed district-wise.

13. Establishment of educational institutions of all levels by the Government in areas of minority concentration, in accordance with the national norms.

14. Reservation for Muslims and other educationally backward groups in all model schools and technical training institutes as well as in higher and professional education.

15. Establishment of a Permanent Committee of Scholars to scrutinise objectionable content from school syllabus, curricula and textbooks as well as to ensure that the school culture has a non-denominational character.

16. Facilitation by State authorities of flow of foreign contribution for educational purposes as well as for providing relief to the victims of social violence and natural disaster.

17. Modernisation and standardisation of Madarsa Education, so as to facilitate switch over of students on completion of primary, middle, high, intermediate and degree levels to general eductional stream.

18. Upgradation of Bihar Madarsa Examination Board to the level of a University.

Economic Development

19. Reservation in public employment under the State Government for Muslims in all services and cadres, at all levels, in accordance with the population.

20. Allocation of proportionate share in the benefits of all social and economic development schemes, centrally sponsored and State, in proportion to their population at the operational level.

21. Adequate capitalisation and expansion of activities of the Bihar Minorities Finance and Development Corpn.

22. Institutional measures for adequate flow of bank credit to Muslim entrepreneurs, specially at the district level.

23. Provision of capital as well as technological, raw material and marketing support'to artisans, particularly in the field of handloom and handicrafts.

Religious Rights

24. Expeditious implementation of the Places of Worship (Special Provision) Act, 1991 for restoration of the status quo of all places of worship as on 15 August, 1947, particularly those unlawfully occupied since 1989.

25. Effective measures for protection of the dignity of the Muslim community, their institutions and organisations against chauvinist propaganda, communal vilification and violence.

26. Recognition of Public Wakf properties as 'Public Premises' for the purpose of vacation of unlawful occupation.

27 .. Exemption of Public Wakf properties from the operation of rent control, urban ceiling and land reform legislation.

28. Payment of compensation at market rate by the occupant including the government or a semi-government agency for Wakf properties which have been transformed beyond restoration.

29. Provision of financial assistance to the Wakf Boards for construction of boundary walls to all graveyards.

30. Reconstitution of the State Haj Committee and construction of Haj House in Patna.

Promotion of Urdu

31. Allocation of 10% of Government advertising budget for Urdu papers.

32. Activation of the Bihar Urdu Academy.

33. Appointment of Urdu-knowing staff at all levels, from the State Secretariat to the Panchayats, to facilitate use of Urdu as additional official language.

34. Facilities for training of Urdu and Urdu-medium teachers in all subjects.

 Bihar Assembly Election, 2000: Muslim Aspiration

Shahabuddin's Letter to Secular Parties, 18 Jan., 2000

I am enclosing herewith for your kind consideration the Muslim Agenda, 2000 for the ensuing Bihar Assembly Elections. I request you to consider these suggestions and incorporate them in your party's Manifesto for this Election. The Muslims constitute 15% of the population of Bihar. As such they aspire to 48 seats in the Assembly. The number of Muslim MLA's has varied between 12 & 27 since 1950. In 1995, 24 Muslim MLA's are elected. Thus their deprivation level was 50%.

Although there are more than 60 Constituencies in Bihar with at least 20% Muslim electorate. In our segmented society, every segment aspires to be duly represented in the power structure. Every community or group looks up to the MLA's who belong to it, irrespective of party affiliation and constituencies they represent, to voice its legitimate grievances, to ensure its due share in development or welfare benefits and to guard its interest in the formulation of the Government policies and implementation of Government programmes The Insaf Morcha requests your party to field Muslim candidates from Muslim majority or Muslim concentration Constituencies.

The Muslim community would welcome electoral understanding and agreement among all secular parties so that there is one common Muslim candidate in the field. In case there are more than one Muslim candidate in any such Constituency, it will support the strongest winnable candidate who can defeat the BJP-NDA candidate, irrespective of party affiliation.

Possible Constituencies in Bihar, 2000