Coming soon equal opportunity commission

A climate of harmony among South Asian countries is necessary not only for the progress and prosperity of the region, but will also auger well for the minorities in these countries. Stressing this, experts and politicians who participated in an international conference on the welfare of minorities felt a regional South Asian cooperation is not merely a business proposition, but also links civilizational terrain with political and cultural ecology.

Participating in the discussions, Union minister of law and minority affairs Salman Khurshid said the government is striving to establish an “equal opportunities commission” recommended by the Justice Rajinder Sachchar Committee. He said the government would soon take a call on the issue.

A group of ministers (GoM) looking into the issue has so far failed to decide on the establishment and powers of this commission. The arrangement currently in vogue in several European countries and in South Africa is that it works as an independent federal law agency to enforces laws against workplace discrimination and monitor all employments to ensure a fair share to weaker sections.

K Rahman Khan, former deputy chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, told the seminar organised by the Delhi-based Institute of Objective Studies (IOS), that the diversity in India is also a challenge to governance.

He, however, said Indian Constitution is well equipped to provide rights to every section. “Founding fathers of the republic have given an excellent Constitution which has space for all communities and regions of the region and has also provided adequate means for achieving their rights and aspirations,” he said.