In a move that seems more like an attempt to woo the Muslim voters, the Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav announced on Sunday, July 6 that even a degree from Madrasa (Islamic seminary) will now be considered valid while applying for a job in the Indian railways. 'Now students of Madrasa, like any educational institution, will be able apply for jobs in the railways,' Lalu Prasad said. He thereafter mentioned that railways will soon frame out all important formalities regarding this. As per experts, this announcement by Lalu Yadav is a clever political move to woo the Muslim voters before the parliamentary elections.

He had infact pledged to hike the percentage of Muslim employees in the Indian railways in a statement made earlier this year. Last month, however, a meeting of the group of secretaries of central government was held and the latest report compiled by them indicates that the Indian railways are still lagging in recruitment of Muslims. Acting on the Rajinder Sachar Committee recommendations, the government had ordered all ministries to enhance the involvement of minorities in government jobs the previous year. But the Indian railways was found to be having less than three per cent Muslim employees in the 67 departments and ministries under the central government even till February 2008, which is way beneath the five per cent benchmark.