Misra panel on minorities ready to submit report

New Delhi, May 2: A panel looking into the demand for quota for the backward among the minorities and inclusion of dalit Muslims and Christians as Scheduled Castes is through with its work and will submit its report soon.

The National Commission For Religious and Linguistic Minorities, headed by former Chief Justice of India Ranganath Misra, was asked to recommend criteria for identifying socially and educationally backward classes among minorities and recommend for them welfare measures including reservation in educational institutions and government employment.

The Misra panel report will be coming within months of the Justice Rajender Sachhar Report on the Social, Educational and Economic Backwardness of Muslims, which provoked a nationwide debate, and was accepted in toto by the government.

It was also mandated to suggest constitutional, legal and administrative measures for implementation of its recommendations and prepare a white paper on the status of minorities.

The Commission's term is expiring on May 15 and it will submit its report and the white paper by that date, Member of the Commission Dr Tahir Mehmood said here today.

Dr Mehmood who has played a key role in the finalisation of the Report, however, refused to say anything about its contents.

He said the panel's recommendations and suggestions would be known only after it submits its report.

Earlier, the National Commission for Minorities had also declared that it would institute Sachar type study in respect of other minorities too.

UNI