TMMK urges creation of Equal Opportunity Commission

Tiruchirapalli, Dec 25 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) today urged the Central Government to set up an ''Equal Opportunity Commission(EPC),'' recommended by the Rajinder Sachar committee, on the models of the United Kingdom Race Relations Act 1976, to look into the grievances of religious minorities.

Talking to newspersons here, TMMK President M M Jawahiruliah said thE Rajinder Sachar Committee, appointed by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to evaluate the social, economic and educational status of Muslims, had recommended adoption of suitable mechanisms to ensure equity and equality of opportunity to Muslims in residential, work and educational spaces, the first of its report tabled in Parliament on November 30.

Prof Jawahiruliah said the Government should implement the suggestions of the committee and set-up a EOC to eliminate the Muslim community perception of discrimination.

It is imperative that if the minorities have certain perceptions of being aggrieved, all efforts should be made by the Government to find a mechanism, in which, these complaints could be attended to expeditiously, he added.

He said the TMMK has organised a rally 'marching to the Parliament' on March seven, 2007, demanding reservation in education and jobs for the Muslims.

Over 5,000 TMMK volunteers from Tamil Nadu will go to New Delhi to participate in the rally, in which members from various Muslim organisations in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh will also participate, he added.

He recalled that major political parties like the Congress and DMK had favoured reservation for Muslims in education and jobs by including it in their Common Minimum Programme(CMP).

Asked about the BJP president Rajnath Singh's comments that the party was committed to build Ram Temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, Prof Jawahirullah said, ''If they are really committed to build it, why did they fail to do so during their regime at the Centre.'' He criticised the BJP for raising the Ram temple issue only during the elections and said it showed that they do not have faith in judiciary, as the case was till pending with the Allahabad Court.

UNI GSM KVV SI HS2248