Scrap minorities panel 8212; VHP

The flare-up against the NCM has been on the cards ever since it became evident that the Commission would not remain a silent spectator to the anti-communal agenda unleashed by the Sangh parivar, notably the VHP and the Bajrang Dal.

Countering the charges levelled by the VHP that Christian missionaries in the country had been receiving large amounts of foreign funds, Mehmood had lobbed the charge back saying the VHP had perhaps received more foreign funds than the Christian missionary organisations.8220;It is common knowledge that the VHP is getting millions of rupees from outside,8221; Mehmood told the media recently.

Mehmood8217;s outspokeness, whether on behalf of the Christians or the Muslims has been anathema to the affiliates of the Sangh parivar. The NCM chief has also raised the hackles of the Sangh parivar by asserting that by no count can the Muslims be regarded as a minority community in the country.

With the world8217;s second largest Muslim population, which is double the population of the UK and France put together, Mehmood has argued that the Muslims in India cannot be viewed as a minority. He has also rejected the stance that there was a policy of appeasing the minorities, saying that the so-called appeasement was in reality the fulfilment of the fundamental rights due to the minorities under the Constitution of India.

The VHP8217;s justification and the government8217;s lethargic response to the incidents of burning of churches, open assaults on Christians in Gujarat and other parts of the country havecaused uncalculable damage to the secular fabric of the country, all provoked immediate reactions from the NCM.

As the attacks mounted, culminating with the barbaric burning of the Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two young sons in Orissa, the NCM has kept up the pressure on the government, functioning as a watchdog and conscience of the nation, a role that has not been appreciated by the Sangh coterie.

The VHP8217;s justification for winding up the NCM is that the National Human Rights Commission NHRC could be just as effective a forum for redressing people8217;s grievances. VHP leader Acharya Giriraj Kishore8217;s contention is that people8217;s complaints against violation of their fundamental rights should be dealt with by the NHRC, and not on the basis of their community affiliations.

Mehmood8217;s comments on the VHP8217;s foreign funds, also drew fire from BJP spokesman J P Mathur who cautioned that the NCM chairman was 8220;crossing the limits8221;. Accusing Mehmood of being 8220;biased towards a particularcommunity,8221; Mathur warned that the Commission chairman should not take sides. And raising the question of his status as a government-appointee, Mathur 8220;suggested8221; that Mehmood should resign before voicing his opinions which ran counter to the government.