The Hindu : National : Lok Sabha nod for Bill on National Commission for Minority Institutions

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 17, 2004

National

National

Lok Sabha nod for Bill on National Commission for Minority Institutions

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 16. The Lok Sabha today gave approval to a Bill seeking the creation of a National Commission for Minority Institutions.

The House witnessed a division within the NDA ranks, with the Janata Dal (U), the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) refusing to join the Bharatiya Janata Party when it walked out.

The BJP opposed the Bill with its Speakers accusing the Government of appeasing the minorities and forcing its passage without taking into consideration the Opposition's views.

Sushil Modi, Bachi Singh Rawat and Mahant Adityanath (all BJP members) said that the Government was indulging in vote-bank politics by bringing forward the Bill.

In his reply, the Human Resource Development Minister, Arjun Singh, asserted that the legislation was not against anybody and should not be a matter for Centre-State confrontation. Such legislation was warranted as the previous NDA Government had "discriminated" against minorities.

The National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions Bill, 2004 is aimed at providing scope for relief to minorities to ensure fulfilment of their fundamental rights. "The Bill is not aimed against anybody. There should be no misconceptions about what we want to do or how we want to do," he said.

States' conference

Mr. Singh said that education was a subject of the Concurrent List, and the Centre and the States could work together. He promised to call a conference of all States to discuss the Central legislation.

Mr. Singh debunked the Opposition argument that the Bill would end up diluting the powers of institutions such as the University Grants Commission (UGC). He promised that the Centre would consult State Governments in enforcing the law.

The provision of a National Commission for Minority Educational institutions was first envisioned in the National Education Policy brought in by Rajiv Gandhi in 1986. He regretted the fact that the National Democratic Alliance Government had shown no urgency in the matter, and referred to the fact that the idea was approved at a meeting of academics drawn from all parts of the country on July 3.

Mr. Singh also defended his decision not to invite the BJP on the grounds that their attitude towards issues relating to the minorities was well known. "We wanted a meaningful and constructive discussion. We did not want it to be marred by controversy."

Citing the example of the Coimbatore-based minority-run Karunaya Institute of Technology and Science, he said that his predecessor had delayed recognition to the institution as deemed university for reasons which were "not clear" though the procedures required had been fulfilled.

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