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Concern for providing safeguards to the constitutional rights of the minorities has always been the cornerstone of governance of the modem Indian state. As a concomitant to the constitutional obligation, welfare of minorities has, accordingly, been an integral part -albeit with questionable success, of the planning process and design of various development and welfare programmes and schemes. Despite the growth of the economy and the increased state intervention in the life and affairs of the citizens, the minorities have been found wanting in being able to take advantage of the various development and welfare schemes and accordingly could not contribute to the economic growth commensurate to their numbers and as laggards have been pulling down the per capita GDP growth. Any overt concern shown in this regard has often been trivialised by demagoguery -obviously, with an eye on short-term gains and for reasons of political expediency. Socio-economic context of an enlightened nation's concern for the development and welfare of its minorities, therefore, need be articulated, widely published and painstakingly imbibed in the normal course of the affairs of the state in addition to the constitutional and moral obligations:
- The constitution provides for security to life and property of minorities and therein, is enshrined the right of minorities to conserve their culture and establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.
- India, being a civilised nation and one of the important signatory of UN Charter, is morally committed to look-after its minorities. Unfortunately, because of the political trivialization of the issue, the impression has gained ground that all talk of development and welfare of minorities is an aberration of our polity. It has not dawned on many of us that even USA -an advanced economy and no lesser a democracy, has programs broadly known as affirmative action to improve race relations - read minorities' welfare.
- MAUS support different religious group in their endeavor for education and health care and takes initiative with government towards implementing the schemes for downtrodden and minority communities.