Minority Ministry ready to concede EOC

The inter-ministerial tussle over the Equal Opportunities Commission EOC has taken a surprising turn. It is learnt that the Minority Ministr...

The inter-ministerial tussle over the Equal Opportunities Commission EOC has taken a surprising turn. It is learnt that the Minority Ministry,which has drafted the legislation for creating the body mooted by the Justice Rajinder Sachar Committee,has taken a view that the EOC could be located in any other ministry but should cover deprived groups of all socio-religious communities.

Government sources said the Minority Ministry has conveyed its view to all the members of the Group of Ministers GoM headed by A K Antony. The GoM was set up after several key ministers opposed the proposed body arguing that it would tread on the turf of existing commissions for SCs,STs,women and OBCs. It has already met twice and the third meeting is likely soon.

The Minority Ministrys surprise move came after the GoM in its second meeting felt that the scope and functions of the proposed EOC should be confined to deprived groups among minorities. Many argue that limiting the EOC to minorities would dilute the concept,which was seen as a step forward to the next generation justice debate. In fact,the Sachar Committee had also proposed setting up of the EOC for deprived groups across religious lines.

Sources said the GoM looked into two options setting up the EOC in the Minority

Ministry with its scope limited to minorities or locating it in any other ministry and cover deprived groups of all sections. It is learnt that the GoM was divided but the majority view was that since the commitment to set up an EOC was made in the context of the recommendations of the Sachar Committee,it should be set up in the Minority Ministry but its ambit should be confined to minorities.

Now,the Minority Ministry has made it clear that it was not willing to back down on its proposal that the EOC should cater to deprived groups of all socio-religious communities and has conveyed that it was even ready to concede the proposed body to any other ministry.

Setting up of the EOC was a promise made in the Congress manifesto and President Pratibha Patil had also outlined it as one of the priorities of the UPA II in her address last year.

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The sources quoted the note sent by the Minority Ministry as saying that the EOC may be set up for all deprived groups and it may be located in a ministry considered appropriate to carry out its mandate. Officials in the Minority Ministry declined to comment.

The Minority Ministry,sources said,has argued that limiting the EOC exclusively for religious minorities would be counter-productive to the governments inclusive development agenda and may lead to consternation among deprived groups from non-minority socio-religious communities.