VHP opposes separate funds allocation for minorities

New Delhi, June 23 (UNI) The government has given tacit approval for another division of the country by deciding to allocate 15 per cent funds under Central schemes/programmes for nationally declared minorities, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) said today, sharply criticising the Cabinet move.

''This is the first example in the world when a government has reserved a share of its revenue exclusively for the welfare of certain religious communities,'' senior VHP leader Acharya Giriraj Kishore said while addressing a press conference.

The Union Cabinet had yesterday decided that 15 per cent of the funds under Central schemes/programmes should be earmarked, wherever possible, for the welfare of ''nationally declared minorities''.

Acharya Kishore raised concern that the move would cause another division of the country. ''The Government has tacitly accepted the creation of another Pakistan ... after allocating a share of the revenue, why not also allot separate land for them,'' he said.

He asked the government to clarify how the measure would be implemented -- whether it would be done on an all-India basis or based on the economic status of minority community members. ''Will it be applicable for the minority community in Jammu and Kashmir also,'' he asked.

''Terrorism cannot be tackled through a policy of appeasement alone,'' he added.

While arguing that the government was not ''active enough'' against terrorists, he said there had been a number of attacks on pilgrims to the Amarnath cave shrine in the recent past. The Congress-led Jammu and Kashmir government should resign for failure in checking such crime, he added.

UNI VN HS KN1915