Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 7: In a PIL on 'illegal' grant of minority status to 'unqualified' people in J&K, a three-judge SC bench headed by Chief Justice of India T S Thakur directed Union of India to file its reply within four weeks.
The petitioner, an advocate of Jammu, strenuously argued that all the central schemes, especially PM's 15-point programme, 'are meant only for those communities which have been identified and notified as minorities under section 2(c) of the NCM Act, 1992'.
"Since the said Act is not applicable to J&K, the state is illegally recognising Muslims, which constitute 68 pc of the total population, as minorities. Hence the implementation of central schemes in favour of unqualified sections of society should be stayed immediately. Communities, which actually qualify as minorities, must get their due share through a proper process of identification and notification," the petitioner alleged.
The state's standing counsel Sunil Fernandez informed the court that the state was ready with its reply and would file it in the shortest possible time.
The petitioner sought attention of the court to the fact that the Union of India had not caused its appearance on the third occasion of hearing even as they were served the notice on time. On this, the Justice Thakur asked ASG Tushar Mehta to cause appearance on behalf of Union of India. He informed the court that he would seek instructions. However, the bench granted four weeks time to the Union of India and the state to file their reply.
The petitioner has sought the constitution of a State Minority Commission in J&K, extension of NCM Act, 1992 to the state, identification and notification of minorities in J&K and prosecution against erring officials who have till date allegedly squandered thousands of crores of rupees in the name of minorities and have given them away to the unqualified sections of society. (JNF) |
