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U.K. rights group lauds Tamil Nadu

Hasan Suroor

LONDON: A British human rights group has hailed Tamil Nadu as a good model for protection of minority rights but said the Union Government had failed to "replicate" it in other conflict-prone States such as Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and Nagaland.

"Tamil Nadu is not a perfect example of minority protection but it underlines how minority autonomy and empowerment can turn a separatist movement into a force for democracy," the Minority Rights Group International said in a report released here on Wednesday.

One of the strong points in Tamil Nadu was the manner in which all minority communities, not just those with major grievances, were included in politics at the local level, it said.

"In Tamil Nadu there is also minimal political interference by the Central Government. This is not the case in the other conflicts, specially in Punjab," said Zoe Gray, a spokesperson for the group.

Global economic power

"The future for these areas of conflict, whatever their status, must be a future that adheres to protection of minority rights. Participation, justice and anti-discrimination are essential components of this... India is the world's largest democracy and it is gaining prominence as a global economic power but their handling of minority rights is appalling," Ms. Gray said.

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U.K. rights group lauds Tamil Nadu

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