New Delhi, July 9: Deliberate persecution of either a community or a group of people belonging to a religious or linguistic minority is not a law and order situation but the breakdown of law and should be treated as such, Union minister for minority affairs A.R. Antulay said. He was speaking to Deccan Chronicle on the report submitted by the National Commission for Minorities on allegation of atrocities against members of the Christian community in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.
In their report, NCM has asked the Centre to take action to prevent some fundamentalist organisations from targeting members of the Christian community.
In their report, NCM has asked the Centre to take action to prevent some fundamentalist organisations from targeting members of the Christian community.
Mr Antulay said he would take up this matter with the home ministry and ask them to seriously pursue it. He said he had already spoken to the chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and even Rajasthan and written letters to them about alleged harassment of Christian in their states and asked what the government was doing to curb this.
Speaking about the dismal situation of the Wakf boards in the country, Mr Antulay said, "I will apply my mind on how best state Wakf boards can be brought under the Central Wakf Council so that beneficiaries of the Wakf properties are benefited and not those who are sitting on Wakf properties illegally."
Replying to a question, Mr Antulay denied that it was a controversial issue and instead said the controversy would be only for those whose benefits will cease.
Speaking about the dismal situation of the Wakf boards in the country, Mr Antulay said, "I will apply my mind on how best state Wakf boards can be brought under the Central Wakf Council so that beneficiaries of the Wakf properties are benefited and not those who are sitting on Wakf properties illegally."
Replying to a question, Mr Antulay denied that it was a controversial issue and instead said the controversy would be only for those whose benefits will cease.
He further said that he wants to bring even Hindus who are in minorities in some states like Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab under the ambit of notified minorities but he said nothing will be done in haste. He claimed, "I want to create a consensus on the matter."
