UNION MINORITY AFFAIRS MINISTER ASKS STATE TO SETUP COMMISION FOR MINORITIES

PANJIM: The Union Minority Affairs Minister, Mr Salman Khursheed has said that the central government has written to the state administration to set up a Minorities Commission in Goa to safeguard the minorities from discrimination.

Mr Khursheed also said that he has been pursuing the matter for setting up equal opportunities commission so as to facilitate opportunities to those lagging behind in development. He said that he would pursue the matter with the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat on setting up the Minorities Commission.

The Union Minority Affairs Minister also informed that the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh has written to all state administrations that 15 per cent of the jobs in government sector should be filled by selecting candidates from those belonging to the minority communities.

He further said that as per the recommendations of the central government the recruitment drive to provide job opportunities to the members of minority communities should continue till the 15 per cent figure was achieved. He went on to add that the figure could exceed 15 per cent if the candidates from the minority communities were eligible for selection.

Mr Khursheed, however, said that the Centre cannot force the state administrations to "totally" accept all its recommendations but emphasised on the need for creating a public opinion. He said that the central government has reached 13 per cent in recruitment drive.

Earlier, the Union Minister told a delegation of Muslims that they needed to persistently follow the issue relating to the graveyard (kabrastan) at Margao with the local authorities that it was amicably settled. The Muslims from Salcete have been demanding land for a second graveyard (kabrastan) in Margao or surrounding areas for the last 30 years as the land in the existing graveyard has been totally ‘exhausted.’

He, however, said that as per the information provided to him the issue was a bit ‘complicated’ and that state authorities have already been seized with the matter. He assured the delegation that he too would personally take up the issue with the local authorities to ensure that it was properly addressed.

The Union Minority Affairs Minister addressed the members of the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee earlier in the day and urged them to prepare for the forthcoming elections to the state assembly. The issue of graveyard figured prominently at the GPCC meeting attended by Mr Khursheed.