New Delhi: Former Vice-President Mr Hamed Ansari released the book ‘Working with Muslims: Beyond Burqa and Triple Talaq’ authored by activist Farah Naqvi here on Tuesday. Delivering the keynote address Mr Ansari said the constitutional promises of equality and justice would be fulfilled only when the development would reach till the last ladder. He further said since large sections of Muslims are poor, they needed political as also social outreach. “Years after the Sachar Report, national consensus on development agenda for Muslims is elusive,” he said.
Ms Farah Naqvi explained that the book explores the role of NGOs in the development of Muslims post-Sachar committee report. As reported by the Hindu she said there were “mainstream” and “Muslim” NGOs on the ground, with little mutual engagement. Muslims working on the ground on issues like livelihood, education or women’s rights among Muslims had to negotiate their Muslimness, trying not to be seen as stereotypically Muslim and in the process sometimes inviting the unease of the Muslim community.
She stressed the need for civil society to work on the ground among Muslims around the axis of their material needs and a long-term horizon beyond the 2019 polls. She observed that Muslims are approached with otherness.