Feeling of insecurity among MP, Chhattisgarh minorities: NMC

Raipur, June 17 (UNI) Minorities in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are facing a sense of insecurity due to the spurt in attacks on them in the last six months, National Minorities Commission (NMC) member Harcharan Singh Josh said today.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Josh said the Commission members had visited both Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh following complaints regarding attacks on religious places and other institutions of minorities.

Pointing out that Commission members, during their visit to Madhya Pradesh, had received a complaint regarding alleged rape of two women, Mr Josh, however, refused to disclose the place of incident saying the details would be mentioned in the report to be submitted to the Prime Minister.

About the incident of alleged rape, the NMC member said, senior police officials of Madhya Pradesh government had told the Commission that they did not feel that such atrocities were committed against these women.

''It's an irresponsible statement. They are not medical experts to jump to such conclusion,'' he said.

Stating that three Bishops of Christian community had brought to the Commission's notice that there had been a spurt in attack on minorities during the last six months, he said these religious leaders had favoured a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court into their complaints.

Referring to the complaints from Chhattisgarh, Mr Josh drew the attention towards an incident at Pathalgaon in Jashpur district where a sub-divisional magistrate passed an order on January 31 against a minority institution with regard to a land dispute.

''Within two days, the authorities took the land into possession without giving any time to appeal against the order. This was in contravention to the provisions of law. Such a haste clearly indicated the motives of the officials,'' he alleged.

Referring to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's reported statement that the Commission members were trying to defame his government by raising such issues, Mr Josh said, ''Our aim is not to tarnish the image of anyone but to bring out the facts regarding atrocities on minorities''.

Asked whether the state-level minorities commissions were ineffective as people were preferring to send complaints directly to the national commission, the NMC member evaded a direct reply saying that members of state commission were also present when they heard complaints from the minorities.

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