A party release here said this sinister move had serious political implications and once again exposed the openly aggressive anti-minority attitude and anti-democratic practices of the BJP-Shiv Sena combine. It pointed out that the chairman of the National Minorities Commission had also sent letters of protest to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the Home Minister in this regard. If the members of the National Commission of Minorities themselves were subjected to vindictive action, the fate of the minorities under the present regime could well be understood, the central committee stated.

The polit bureau called upon all secular democratic forces in the country to condemn this `obnoxious' move of the BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra.