The Hindu : Front Page : `Withdraw decision on minority status'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 29, 2006

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`Withdraw decision on minority status'

Special Correspondent

Baby writes to Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Education Minister M.A. Baby has urged the Centre to take steps to withdraw the decision taken in "haste" by the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions to confer minority status on some colleges "against the State's interests and in violation of the provisions of the Constitution".

In a letter addressed to Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh on Wednesday, Mr. Baby said the Government had informed the Commission that it required one month's time to take policy decisions on issues relating to minority status. But without considering the Government's plea, the Commission unilaterally issued orders conferring minority status on four institutions. The Commission had advanced by one month its meeting with representatives of two of these institutions. He charged the Commission with having shown undue haste in the matter. It also did not attach any importance to the constitutional right of the State. He added that the Commission had acted with the intention of excluding some institutions from the purview of the Bill for controlling self-financing colleges which was under discussion in the State Assembly.

The Minister said the Bill, which was expected to be passed on June 29, contained provisions for deciding on minority institutions. The Government attached much importance to the Supreme Court ruling which wanted minority institutions to be decided at the State- level and the minority rights to be exercised in a manner which would protect equity and secularism. The norms for deciding on minority institutions were fixed taking into consideration the apex court's direction.

Mr. Baby sought the Centre's intervention to reconsider the minority status conferred on some institutions by the Commission after the present Government came to power.

Mr. Baby also spoke to the Union Minister on the telephone. The Union Minister reportedly offered to look into the Commission's decisions and take appropriate action, taking into consideration the situation prevailing in the State.

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