He, however, stressed that it should cover all disadvantaged sections and not just minorities.
With various ministries differing over the mandate and controlling authority of the proposed Equal Opportunity Commission, Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid today hinted that he was not averse to any other ministry handling the panel.
He, however, stressed that it should cover all disadvantaged sections and not just minorities.
The formation of EOC, which aims at providing affirmative action for all deprived groups, was recommended by the Sachar Committee that went into the socio-economic conditions of minorities.
It has been on the priority list of both the UPA I and UPA II governments and is under consideration of a GoM.
"The baby is more important than the water. We are interested that the the mandate of the Equal Opportunity Commission remains comprehensive to include all disadvantaged sections and not just minorities. It is not very important under which ministry the EOC is located," Khurshid said.
His remarks assume significance in wake of reports of differences among various ministries over who would control the high powered commission and what would be its areas of operation.
A Group of Ministers (GoM) chaired by Defence Minister AK Antony, which is looking into the matter, has already held two marathon meetings to discuss the issue in January and March this year but no consensus has emerged.
The third meeting of the GoM was supposed to take place on May 6 but had to be cancelled due to the engagement of ministers in important legislative work. A new date for the meeting is yet to be fixed.
The draft bill for the EOC, which was to be tabled in Parliament in winter session itself, is unlikely to see the light of the day even in the Monsoon session beginning in July end.
While Khurshid's ministry, which had drafted the legislation, is insistent on the mandate remaining comprehensive, other ministries have mooted the idea that the mandate of EOC should be confined to minorities.
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