Khurseed keen on setting up Equal Opportunity Commission for minorities

Terming the establishment of Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC) a "commitment" of the new government, Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khursheed today said the ministry wants it to be set up soon despite objections to its formation by some other Central government commissions.     

"The Bill (to set up EOC) is a commitment of the government. It's a high priority Bill for us and a landmark Bill for the country and we have to move forward," Khursheed said maintaining that EOC's establishment will not just be a boon for the minorities but for all sections of society.     

Asked about objections raised by other government commissions that EOC will take away their mandate, the minister clarified, "Nobody's mandate will be taken away. Such concerns that people have will be addressed. That's the process that is going on now."     

The Bill, the draft of which was prepared by the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) and submitted to the Central government more than a year back, was under the process of inter-ministerial consultation during the previous term of the UPA government.     

Khursheed said that his ministry would like to see the process of setting up the commission being expedited. He, however, refused to give any time frame for the passage of the Bill saying, "The process has initiated."

The minister also indicated that the Bill, which is under consultation for last six months, may not be tabled in Parliament within the first 100 days of the government as "it could take a bit longer".     

The government had also stated its commitment to set up EOC in the President's Address on June 4.     

Establishment of the commission was a suggestion made by the Sachchar Committee, which had prepared a detailed report on the reasons for the backwardness among Muslims.     

The government has already implemented the Sachchar Commission report and EOC is being considered next in the line in the process of empowering the underprivileged sections including minorities.     

Other commissions like National Commission for Scheduled Castes, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes and National Commission for Minorities were resisting setting up of EOC on the ground that it would lead to overlapping of tasks and will take away their mandate for affirmative actions in the respective areas.

The Minority Affairs Ministry, however, is of the view that EOC, rather than taking away from their work, will complement the work done by other Commissions.     

Khursheed said the proposed EOC will conduct its operations in a "comprehensive and collective manner", to do away the exercise of dealing with key issues in a segregated manner at other levels. EOC suggests identifying the deprived groups against deprivation index cutting across caste and religious lines, he said.     

"After setting up EOC, the majority and the minority will be on the same track, not being looked as separate entities but being looked as together. They can have a common future," he said.