We are shocked to hear from no one less than the Prime Minister, Mr. Manmohan Singh himself, that when his government took a decision against a Gujarat Minister, “the BJP wanted us to reverse the action”. Further, speaking at the press conference, he added: “I do not want to say anything more”..

The prime Minster was addressing a press conference today where he made this observation.  He was obviously referring to Gujarat Minister of State Amit Shah’s arrest. It is also a fact that Amit Shah is cooling heels after the BJP mounted pressure on the central government. It is also a fact that since then, no substantive action has been taken against the perpetrators of Gujarat riots in 2002 as also the accused politicians in the Sohrabuddin murder case. In the light of his remark the LJP would like to know: Is the Prime Minister afraid of the BJP, the principal opposition party in parliament?

Our assessment is that the UPA Government on minority issues has buckled in under pressure, as the PM indicated in his press conference, to the BJP. If it is not correct, why then there has been no significant move with regard to minority specific issues since the beginning of the UPA 2 reign in 2009?

The LJP would like to remind the Government some of the minority related issues hanging fire for long time. The government, for instance, has not made any move so far in regard to initiating action against Gujarat Chief Minister Narender Modi despite exposure by Tehelka magazine about Modi’s complicity in the 2002 riots.

Despite Aseemanad’s confession that the Malegaon, Ajmer, Hyderbad and Samjhuta bomb blasts were the results of his conspiracy, the innocent Muslim victims falsely implicated in these bomb blasts, are still languishing in jails. The CBI in Malegaon case, for instance, is dilly dallying the bail petition of victims on the one pretext or the other while the government is looking the other way.

Despite some budgetary allocations in the Prime Minister 15 point program schemes for the minorities, the minority communities have not benefited from the scheme so far and the government is not concerned about its own schemes for the welfare of the minorities.

The Ranganath Mishra Commission report regarding clear recommendation to grant reservation for minorities is still hanging fire. Despite repeated directions from the Supreme Court to the Government to file a reply on the long pending case to grant reservation to Muslim and Christian SCs under article 341 of the Constitutions the government has not clarified its position so far and has not filed a reply.

Despite promises by the Congress Party to give job reservation to the minorities, the government has made no move so far in this regard

The prime Minister has now inadvertetently admitted that the BJP has stopped him from taking any bold decisions regarding the minority affairs. Should the minority communities have no hope from the UPA government?

The LJP believes that the Government inaction on minority affairs speaks for itself. And, the Prime Minster has himself given the reason for disappointing the minorities on various issues.

(Abdul Khaliq)