"Why you are completely depended upon the government...Why not force the government to get equal opportunities for you? You will have to do that," he said, speaking at the inaugural session of 9th All India Muslim Educational Conference (AIMES).
Sachar, who headed the (Sachar) committee appointed in 2005 to study the socio-economic condition of Muslims, said that Muslims will have to create interest in education, if they want to change the prevailing situation, and also advocated cultural diversity in education.
Delivering key note address, he said, "Muslims are not foreigners in India...They have equal rights as other communities have. If anyone talks about 'Hindu Rashtra' or one community will destroy it because the country is not made of a single community."
Titled as 'Iqra-2012', the conference was inaugurated by Fathima Beevi, former Governor of Tamil Nadu and the first woman judge of the Supreme Court.
In her address, Beevi said it was necessary to embrace technology and new models of education to bring positive change in the society.
Other speakers also highlighted lack of education as the main reason for the backwardness of the community and asserted that education is the only strong tool to bring about revolutionary change.
They strongly emphasised on creating awareness and adequate arrangements for quality education for Muslims and on formulating action plan to ensure overall development of the community.
