What was Plan panel member doing in a Muslim protest,Modi asks Montek at noisy meeting

Armed with data,Modi told the Plan panel that there were six schools in the locality. Plus he questioned the very presence there of Hameed,asking Ahluwalia to explain how a Plan panel member could be part of a public protest.

In a letter to Modi on May 18,Ahluwalia had expressed concern over the poor enrolment of Muslim school children in primary and upper primary schools. Emphasising the need to universalise enrolment,he pointed out that the “differences across communities” needed to be overcome.

According to Ahluwalia,Muslim population in Gujarat was 9.1 per cent but enrolment data showed that only 4.7 per cent of primary school children and 4.8 per cent of upper primary school children were Muslims. “This disparity needs to be eliminated,” he stated in his letter.

He also referred to the Dangs area which is relatively backward and tribal dominated. “We would like to learn what special developmental efforts the state government is doing in this regard.”