The UPA government’s move to amend the definition of minorities has raised the hackles of National Commission for Minority Education Institutions.
National Commission for Minority Education Institutions strongly opposes the move
NEW DELHI: The UPA government’s move to amend the definition of minorities has raised the hackles of National Commission for Minority Education Institutions (NCMEI). The Commission said it would open a pandora’s box and called upon the Centre to reconsider its decision.
As of now the country has a uniform definition of minorities for the entire country. The Centre is all set to table a bill to define them state-wise in the monsoon session of Parliament.
The proposed legislation would enable a state, the administrative unit, to define minorities in a particular state.
If the proposed constitutional amendment is adopted, Hindus may be defined as minorities in Jammu and Kashmir and Sikhs and Christians as majority communities in Punjab and North-East respectively. The constitutional amendment will deprive minority communities their privileges.
Stridently opposing the proposed bill, the Commission has shot off letters to HRD minister Arjun Singh and minority affairs minister AR Antulay warning that the move would “distort the entire system” and trigger “chaos and confusion”.
The NCMEI is headed by Justice MSA Siddique with former union minister BS Ramoowalia and Rev Valson Thampu as members.
“The proposed amendment goes against the spirit of the Constitution and would open a pandora’s box,” Ramoowalia told DNA.
Rev Valson Thampu, who is also the acting Principal of St. Stephen’s College here, said the move is unconstitutional.
Ramoowalia said “the move to declare majority or minority on the basis of population in a state is against the spirit of a nation.” He further added that the founding fathers of the Constitution had in their wisdom decided not to define minorities state-wise.
The proposed amendment will negate Article 25-30. The move is a “serious jolt to secular structure of the Constitution and will encourage fissiparous tendencies,” he said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}