Setting up a 25-point agenda for political parties ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Students Islamic Organisation of India today released its manifesto aimed at "social and and educational upliftment of students in the country".
"History in our textbooks is being distorted. Secular fabric of the nation is under strain with the kind of contents being put in textbooks taught to students. Communalism and fascism are a threat to our democracy" said Ashfaq Ahmed, National President of Students Islamic organisation while reading out a part of the manifesto in front of reporters.
Ahmed also alleged that communal tension is being spread under the garb of school education.
"The textbooks of Rajasthan for children of class 11 and 12 are teaching things that should not even be published. This includes states like Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka as well" he said in an apparent reference to states ruled by the BJP and its allies.
Taking a jibe at BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on the issue of development politics, Ahmed asserted that Muslims are not against development but against development only of select sections of the society.
"Muslims are not against development. But there is no inclusive development in Modi's politics. Modi does not have a specific development model. His talks mean nothing," he said.
When asked if he agrees that there are various sections of the society who believe in Modi's politics on the issue of development, he said that "Muslim youth are not with Modi's developmental model."
While hitting out at the ruling Congress-led UPA government, Ahmed claimed "Congress government has not fulfilled the recommendations of the Sachar Committee in spite of having an opportunity. There are various recommendations that are yet to see the light of the day.
