• As head of the minorities commission, how could you ask the Muslims to vote for the BJP? Have you forgotten what happened to the minority community in Gujarat so soon?Gurjot Singh I have never asked any individual or group to vote for or against any political party. I have only suggested to the leaders of the Muslim community to use their franchise judiciously. • The National Minorities Commission is supposed to be an apolitical organisation. If you wanted to canvass for anyone, it would have been better for you to step down from your post first. Please comment.George Mathai Yes, you are right. But, the presumption under which you are raising this question is baseless. • As the NCM chief, what steps, if any, are you taking to include Kashmiri Pandits as minorities? Are they being left out just because they are Hindus? Does ‘‘minority’’ have to be categorised only on religious lines, and not on numbers?Daleep Kashkari The communities are given minority status by the Government of India. The NCM has recommended to the Central Government to declare Kashmiri Pandits as a minority community. We constituted a committee which visited their migrant camps and also mobilised public opinion in Kashmir Valley for their peaceful and dignified return. • Why can’t institutions like the NCM help minorities overcome their fears and complexes? Instead, you too seem to be indulging in minority-bashing.V Rangarajan We are always at the beck and call of all minority communities and their members. We do our best to remove fear psychosis among them by resolving their grievances and rendering the desired help. • You have disapproved of the way Muslims conduct themselves during elections. What positive contribution has your commission made towards the economic amelioration of the Muslims?Rajab Hussain My suggestions were not intended to be either approval or disapproval of anybody’s conduct. During more than three decades of its existence, the NCM has constantly contributed to the economic amelioration of the minorities. This column does not permit me to go into the details of all this. For example, the NCM has been monitoring the implementation of laws and development programmes pertaining to the security and economic advancement of minorities and have also made many policy suggestions to the Government in this regard. • Don’t you think the majority-minority differences are being perpetuated and propagated by politicians of all parties for their personal gains? Why single out only the Muslims?Ravi Kumar Koul I beg to differ with your views. There are socio-economic problems of certain communities which need the attention of the Government. • Has your commission taken note of the media reports about Muslims not being welcome as tenants or buyers of houses in a metropolitan city like Mumbai? Now, you want Muslims to be in mainstream political parties.Radhika Srinivasan As per the Constitutional provisions, no one can discriminate against minorities. I would suggest that everybody should assert his constitutional and legal rights. In this era of globalisation, we should have a cosmopolitan outlook and strengthen the pluralistic society.
