- Thursday, April 25, 2024
By: Shubham Ghosh
MINORITIES in India are “100 per cent secure” under the Narendra Modi government and the narrative that hate incidents have gone up in its time is “wrong”, Iqbal Singh Lalpura, the chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), on Tuesday (14) said.
Lalpura, who took over last week, said that his priority would be to dispel “false narratives” fuelling insecurity among minorities. His remarks came at a time when the opposition parties in the country, including the Indian National Congress, and several civil society members have alleged that incidents of hate crimes against minorities have gone up under the rule of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
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But while the government has come under the scanner over incidents of mob attacks against people belonging to the minority community, Lalpura said statistics suggest something different. According to him, figures with respect to rioting, murder and lynching have come down.
“Look at the past, we used to hear of riots in Aligarh when the BJP government was not there. We have heard of riots elsewhere also when the BJP government was not there. I am here as a constitutional person…and when we look at the statistics, the figures have come down — (be it) rioting, murder, lynching,” Lalpura, a former Indian Police Service officer who has been a spokesperson for the BJP, told PTI in an interview.
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“But cases have happened and cases are happening and that is why we need the National Commission for Minorities,” he said.
On the narrative that hate incidents have increased, Lalpura said it was not the case. When asked about the situation of minorities under the rule of the Modi government, he said they are “100 per cent secure”.
Lalpura said as the chairperson of NCM, his priority would be to look after the interests of the minorities and ensure that no injustice is done.
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“At the same time, I have to see that false narratives are not created. We all are Indians and we have to work to ensure the development of the country, security of all people, and that everyone gets justice,” he said.
“We will try to solve all the problems that come to us,” he said, adding that he will meet as many people as possible and try to solve their problems and find out why some of them are insecure.
“If there is a feeling of insecurity that has to be set right. First of all we are Indians, we are here by choice and we should work for the development of the country. No person, whichever religion he or she may belong to, is to be harassed for their religion,” Lalpura said.
Acknowledging that there was a section of the society which was insecure, he stressed on justice to all and said if need be, he would visit the spot where any injustice takes place.
“Nobody is allowed to take law into their own hands,” the NCM chief said, adding that “we have to investigate all cases and see who is at fault”.
Lalpura said matters escalate when action is not taken even after the issue comes to light and asserted that immediate action should be taken on all complaints.
Asked about the farmers’ protests and Sikh community being targeted by some sections over the demonstrations against farm laws, the NCM chief said the Centre had to intervene because the states did not develop industry and avenues to sell produce.
“States should have created the infrastructure so that the Centre would not have to do this. Why states have not done it during all these years, why the Centre needs to intervene, why farmers are committing suicides, these are the questions states need to answer,” he said.
Asked who is spreading false narratives, Lalpura said, “I have come as a common man and with my experience I understand what is happening all around but since I am now heading a commission, I should refrain from making such comments. It is all before the public, they know it.” The NCM chief, who is the second Sikh to head the statutory commission after S Tarlochan Singh, said there should be no forced conversions or by inducements.
