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NATIONAL SEMINAR
ON
Inclusive
Democracy for Inclusive development :Building Space For
Marginalized and
Minorities
Date:25th & 26th
February 2011
Venue: Dhiyan
Ashram, 25, Matha Church Road, Raja Annamali Puram
,Chennai
REPORT
A two day national seminar was organized jointly with
Gandhigram Rural University and Centre for Study of
Society and Secularism at Chennai from 25th
to 26th February,2011
 The
seminar was inaugurated by the former Vice-Chancellor by
Prof. Shanmugha Sundaram and the presidential address
was delivered by Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer
The theme of the seminar for the two day deliberation
was titled as Inclusive Democracy For Inclusive
Development: Building Space for Marginalized and
Minorities. This seminar was participated by nearly 45
students doing PhD, MSW, Law and Sociology. The speaker
represented professors from Pondicherry, Sriperumbetur,
Loyola College, students from department of Political
science and Rural Administration Gandhigram University.
The youth was selected to participate in this seminar
because the contemporary issue of Inclusive Democracy
for Inclusive Development: Building Space for
Marginalized and Minorities is an important aspect and
every youth should know the contemporary serious problem
that is persisting in our secular society. In fact an
important topics like 15 point programme of the Prime
Minister which is
 exclusively
meant for minorities and their development , in fact
majority of the participants did not know the various
provision and facilities that is available under the 15
point programme of the Prime Minister in fact member of
the legislative assembly of Tamil Nadu Bader Sayed who
informed the participants that until and unless
minorities assimilate with majority community process of
exclusion will not be possible. She was referring
especially to Muslim community which is totally not
geared up to take up modern education and has remained
backward compared to other community especially women
coming from conservative family, and the barrier from
religious angle are not able to come out and make
advancement. The exclusive community should approach
vehemently the government agencies in order to take the
provision that has been provided under the 15 point
programme.
 The
seminar also discussed interest in topics like Reforming
the Adivasis, Environmental problems and Displaced
person and How to use Radios and Television for
publicizing various schemes that are available for the
minorities. In fact the problem of fishing community
after the Tsunami floods in Chennai was also discussed.
The seminar was concluded by
Dr. D.K.Ojha former Vice Chancellor of Gandhigram
University and he emphasized that such topics must not
be discussed only once it should be discussed time and
again at various platform and colleges so that the youth
will realize the urgent need to help the exclusive
communities in the society. The civil society also
should fight for creating awareness and coordinating
with the government agencies.
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