Centre formulates 15-point programme for minorities' welfare

Centre formulates 15-point programme for minorities' welfare
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

AHMEDABAD, MARCH 19: Gujarat Government has informed the High Court that a 15-point programme, as formulated by the Central Government, is being implemented in the state for social, economic and cultural development of the minority communities.

In an affidavit before the High Court replying to the notice issued in special civil application 9557 of 1998 filed by the United Christian Association against the alleged cases of atrocities on Christians in Gujarat, Under Secretary in the Home Department, Gujarat Government, J R Rajput submitted that half-yearly reports on the implementation of this programme are being sent by the state Social Welfare Department to the Union Ministry of Welfare.

The Revenue Department of the Gujarat Government has also floated a scheme vide Government Resolution dated January 11, 1994 and September 15, 1992 for compensation for loss of life in communal incidents, he said. The matters relating to minority welfare is being looked into by the Social Welfare Department headed by a senior officer of the rank of Additional Chief Secretary to the state government, Rajput said.

The United Christian Association (UCA) said in its petition that with the advent of BJP Government in Gujarat, large-scale atrocities are being perpetrated on Christians in the state for sometime and brought these incidents in this regard to the notice of the court.

"In Dangs district, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and RSS workers took out a rally against Christian community residing in this area for several years and shouted abusive slogans. These Christian families were threatened and asked to leave Dangs," the UCA said.

"In Dharampur taluka, the VHP, Bajrang Dal and RSS activists took out a huge rally and threatened the Christian community to leave the area," it said. "Every year, Christians living in Vyara taluka of Surat district have been gathering in different villages for prayer meetings on the eve of Christmas. But now the RSS and VHP by holding prayer meetings at the same time in front of churches and prayers halls were creating terror," the UCA said. "A church building was under construction in the Naroda area of Ahmedabad. Though there are numerous bungalows in the area which have been built without necessary permission, the church was singled out and demolished," it said.

"In Bapunagar area of Ahmedabad, miscreants severely damaged the Vidyalaya High School building and stole cash of about Rs 1.25 lakh from it. Instead of expressing regrets, BJP MLAs created terror among the minority community by delivering inflammatory speeches at a meeting convened in its vicinity immediately thereafter," the UCA added.

"In Rajkot, Bajrang Dal and ABVP activists burnt 300 copies of the New Testament at the IP Mission School on 21st July, 1998," the UCA said in its petition. "In Vadodara, about 300 VHP-Bajrang Dal activists disrupted a Christian convention being held there in March 1998. Besides beating up the people, they extensively damaged musical instruments belonging to the performers, and a Maruti car," it said.

"In Surat, VHP activists forced the police to register a false complaint against a priest for having raped a woman," the UCA said. "In Jhankhvav village of Mangrol taluka of Surat district, a Christian institution was involved in a case of tenancy rights over a piece of land. Immediately after the announcement of the judgement by the mamlatdar in favour of farmers, the VHP and Bajrang Dal activists caused extensive damage to the institution's building," the petition said.

"In Palanpur, a united meeting of the Christian communities being held in the municipal hall during the Passion Week in April, 1998 was disrupted by Bajrang Dal and VHP activists. Besides destroying the food, they damaged a van and rendered unfit for human consumption food prepared for the occasion," it said. "In Kheda district's Kapadwanj town, local Christians were involved in a dispute with Vaghri community over a piece of land which was notified as a cemetry. When a body of a Christian was buried in the cemetry on July 9, 1998, VHP, RSS and Bajrang Dal activists went there and exhumed it only to lay it on the road in front of a local church," the UCA submitted in its petition.

Rajput in his affidavit said "on perusing the writ petition, it has come to my notice that though on every page reference is made about the VHP and Bajrang Dal and facts and incidents have been narrated about certain unfortunate events which have happened at various places, the petitioners have not thought it fit to join them as a party.

For this reason alone this petition should be dismissed by this honourable High Court. However, if the High Court is to take a different view in the matter then I would request the High Court to direct the petitioners to join them as party respondent so that the view of the VHP and Bajrang Dal can also be taken on record," Rajput said.

"I may state that in all the incidents which are brought on record in the present writ petition, the state government has made all efforts to expeditiously investigate into the matter," he said.

"Agreeing to the recommendation of National Commission for Minorities, an open dialogue with all religious communities was being maintained through meetings and conferences and the state government was also in the process of setting up a forum for discussing measures for enhancing communal harmony," Rajput said.