Other States - Uttar Pradesh   

Muslims feeling dejected in UP: minorities panel

LUCKNOW: The National Commission for Minorities on Thursday maintained that Muslims were dejected with the grim scenario in Uttar Pradesh where they were the most discriminated lot among all the minorities.

The Commission, which concluded a two-day sitting in Lucknow on Thursday, found that the confidence level among the Muslims was low. This had been reflected in the Commission receiving the maximum number of complaints from UP. There was a difference of about 60 per cent between the complaints received from UP and those from the other States, the Commission has found.

Four types of complaints from the Muslims were received by the Commission – individual complaints; complaints related to lack of civic facilities like sanitation and education; complaints related to the conduct of local officials, especially the police; and finally complaints pertaining to bias and discrimination.

Commission Chairman Mohammed Shafi Qureshi told reporters that the Muslims were feeling rather dejected as no practical steps had been taken [by the authorities] to change their lifestyle. He said reports related to their welfare had not been properly implemented, adding that the solution to their problems had to be found at the level of the State governments.

The Commission Chairman said the feeling had gained ground among the country’s largest minority that their religion was the basis of their discrimination in educational and social life. “Give them practical results on the ground to restore their confidence,” added Mr. Qureshi, a former Governor of UP.

He placed on record the positive response from the State Government towards the welfare of the Muslims and other minorities. The Commission held talks with the State Chief Secretary, Atul Kumar Gupta, and other State officials on Wednesday to know about the various problems and the measures taken for their redress.

He said the Commission, which was visiting other States as well, would make its recommendations on how to implement the Sachar Committee report and effectively fulfil its objective.

Commission member Dileep Padgaonkar, who was present at the press conference, said the National Commission for Minorities was not at par with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, although moves were afoot to grant similar status to the minorities panel.

Delegations of Sikhs, Buddhists and Christians also met the Commission members during its two-day sitting. The problems narrated by the Sikh representatives were mostly related to settlement of claims of the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

According to Harcharan Singh Josh, another member of the Commission, more than 50 per cent cases have been settled.

The problems of the Buddhists were related to the status of Pali language in the State and their failure to be certified as members of the Buddhist minority community.

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