The Centre has agreed in principle to set up an equal opportunity commission to look into grievances regarding discrimination against Muslims.
But Sachar Committee follow-up action plan avoids mention of contraceptive issue
NEW DELHI: In the follow-up action on the Sachar Committee report tabled in the Lok Sabha on Friday, the Centre has agreed in principle to set up an equal opportunity commission to look into grievances regarding discrimination against Muslims. With the spectre of a general election looming large early next year, the government has literally promised the moon to Muslims.
But the report does not have any mention of distribution of "contraceptives" in Muslim-populated areas as was suggested by the minority affairs minister AR Antulay a fortnight ago in the Rajya Sabha.
A national data bank and an autonomous assessment and monitoring authority will be set up to analyse data and suggest appropriate policies to the government on a continuous basis. An expert group is being constituted to propose an appropriate "diversity index" in order to promote diversity and social inclusion in educational institutions, work places and living spaces.
In a 15-point action plan on the report of the committee headed by Justice Rajinder Sachar that went into the social, economic and educational status of the Muslims, Antulay said that guidelines have already been issued to improve the representation of minorities in government, public sector enterprises and public sector banks, among others. Parliament is scheduled to discuss the Sachar panel report between September 5 and 6.
A high-level committee would also be set up to remove "anomalies" in their representation in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. Tabling the statement in the house, Antulay hailed the move saying, "It is a historic statement".
The minister said a high-level committee has been constituted to review the Delimitation Act and the concerns expressed by the Sachar panel regarding anomalies in the representation of Muslims.
The Sachar committee had suggested a nomination procedure for political involvement of Muslims at the grassroots and had called for a "more rational delimitation procedure". Such a procedure should ensure that constituencies with high minority population are not reserved for scheduled castes.
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