Minorities in India prosperous & safe, says commission chairman

Tribune News Service

Patiala, April 1

National Commission for Minorities Chairman Iqbal Singh Lalpura held a meeting with representatives of the minority communities in Patiala today.

He talked about issues like education, employment, housing, discrimination, prosperity of minority culture and the protection of minorities.

In a meeting at the Circuit House here, Lalpura said the minorities in India were safe, protected and prosperous. He said attention should be paid in promoting education and employment among minority communities by making good use of government schemes for the progress of the country and state, communal harmony, peace and prosperity, mutual brotherhood and unity.

Lalpura said under the Prime Minister’s 15-point programme for the welfare and prosperity of the minorities, he regularly held meetings with the minority communities and discussed their problems and demands. He said he sought inputs from such meetings if changes in any policy were required for the safety and welfare of the minorities.

The chairman said the commission wanted the benefits of the schemes for the minorities to reach lower levels.

He added that since independence, the number of minorities in India had grown to 21 per cent, while in Pakistan, it reduced from 22 per cent to 4.43 per cent ,and in Afghanistan, the number came down to zero.

Lalpura compared India to a beautiful bouquet of diverse flowers, where all communities lived together.