Minority panel criticises NHRC report on Kairana migration

Members of the National Commission for Minorities have criticised the report of National Human Rights Commission on the alleged migration of several families from Kairana in Shamli district, saying people had left the town for their businesses.

Talking reporters here last evening, two members of the minorities panel Praveen Davar and Farida Abdulla Khan said the report of National Human Rights Commission is not based on facts but on "communal flavour".

The members, who had visited Kairana and Muzaffarnagar, said the migration of Kairana was not of communal nature.

They said people of both Hindu and Muslim communities had left Kairana to pursue better business opportunities in other places. They said the people had not migrated due to fear from a particular community.

The NHRC probe team had found that many families "migrated" from Kairana due to threats pertaining to "increase in crime" and "deterioration" of law and order there.

It found that in 2013, after resettlement of about 25,000-30,000 members of Muslims community in Kairana town from Muzaffarnagar, the demography of Kairana town changed in favour of the Muslim community", it becoming the "more dominating and majority community".

"Most of the witnesses examined and victims feel that the rehabilitation in 2013 has permanently changed the social situation in Kairana town and has led to further deterioration of law-and-order situation," said the team's findings.

At least 24 witnesses said the youths of a "specific majority community" in Kairana "pass lewd/taunting remarks" against the females of a "specific minority community" as per the NHRC findings. Due to this, females of the specific minority community in Kairana avoided going outside frequently.

"Some of the displaced persons also verified that it was one of the reasons for their migration from Kairana town," the NHRC said quoting the team's findings.