National Commission for Minorities

The Minorities Commission was envisaged by the Ministry of Home Affairs resolution in 1978. In 1984, the Minorities Commission was detached from Ministry of Home affairs.

• With the enactment of National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 the Minorities Commission became a statutory body and was renamed as National Commission for Minorities.
• The first Statutory National Commission was set up on 17^th May 1993.

Functions of NCM

• Evaluation of progress of the development of minorities under the Union and States.
• Monitor the working of safeguards for minorities provided in the Constitution and laws enacted by Parliament and the State Legislature.
• Make recommendations for effective implementation of safeguards for the protection of the interests of minorities by the Central Government or the State Government.
• Conduct studies, research and analysis on socio-economic issues and educational development of minorities.
• Take up specific complaints regarding deprivation of rights and safeguards of minorities with the appropriate authorities (like police atrocities, minority educational institutions, encroachments to religious properties, etc.).

Six religious communities viz. Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Zoroastrians (Parsis) have been notified as minority communities by the Union Government.

Conclusion

Recent communal tensions must not impede the trust of minorities and doubt their position in the secular profile of India. The state must ensure this distrust (if exists) must be mended out via proper communication and information dissemination. Policy initiatives by state must marry the prospect of conserving the traditions of minorities’ along with empowering them socially, economically and politically.