Deshmukh Govt takes first step

The State Minorities Commission was first established by the Congress government on February 17, 1992, for a three year period. However, the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance government did not give it an extension after its tenure lapsed in 1995.

Deshmukh told reporters that the revived minorities commission would also have a three-year term and comprise of a chairman and ten members. The members would be from non-government posts and the commission would be non-political, he added.

The commission would work for the protection of constitutional rights of minorities and monitor implementation of minority welfare programmes, Deshmukh said. It would also review State policies related to minority welfare and investigate all complaints of bias against or harassment of the minorities. All religious minorities would be covered by the commission, Deshmukh said, adding that granting of statutory powers to the commission would be considered.

In another important decision, the Cabinet on Thursday approved setting up of the State Human Rights Commission under section 21 of the Human Rights Protection Act 1993. The Human Rights Commission would comprise of a chairman and four members, Deshmukh said, stressing that custodial deaths would be tackled on a priority basis by the panel. The commission will be headed by a retired judge of the High Court. A committee chaired by the Chief Minister and comprising of the deputy chief minister, legislative assembly speaker, legislative council chairman and leaders of Opposition in both houses of the State legislature would recommend the names of the commission chairman and other members to the Governor, who in turn would appoint them, Deshmukh said.

He said that the commission would oversee the implementation of human rights as envisaged by the Constitution. After the commission comes into existence, the functioning of State administration would become transparent, he added. The commission would also look into atrocities against minorities, he said. In another decision, the Cabinet on Thursday approved the re-issuance of ordinances regarding establishment of coroner’s courts and implementation of the Investor Protection Act which had lapsed. Deshmukh said that the proposed white paper on the State’s economy was being readied and would be tabled in the forthcoming winter session of both houses of the State legislature in Nagpur.

Meanwhile, leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Narayan Rane on Thursday criticised the State Government’s decision to revive the minorities commission, saying it would create a rift between various religions.“The Democratic Front government has ensured the creation of a wedge among two religions by reviving the commission,” Rane told reporters here, adding that “the commission is not needed”.

The former chief minister said he would consult Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray before resorting to an agitation against the revival of the commission since “it is a policy matter”.