Cabinet sub-committee to study status of minority communities

Cabinet sub-committee to study status of minority communities Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday promised minority communities of setting up a Cabinet sub-committee to study their socio-economic conditions in the State. Addressing a programme on Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities’ Rights Day organised by the Karnataka State Minorities Commission here, Mr. Siddaramaiah

said steps would be taken for the socio-economic and educational development of minority communities based on the recommendations of the sub-committee. Noting that there was no clarity on the status of minority communities in the country, he said the government was dependent on figures of the 2011 census. He expressed regret over the opposition to Tipu Jayanti, being organised by the Karnataka government from last year. BJP leaders Jagadish Shettar, who wrote preface to a book on Tipu by Prof. Sheik Ali, and B.S. Yeddyurappa, who dubbed Tipu as a patriot earlier by wearing a turban and holding a sword, are now opposing Tipu Jayanti for political reasons, he said.

UAPA cases

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president and Home Minister G. Parameshwara promised to set up an authority to look into cases registered under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Cases booked under this Act would henceforth be submitted to the authority first, which would hand them over to investigating agencies, he noted.

The need to set up the authority had arisen following allegations of misuse of UAPA Act in recent years by investigating agencies, he said. This decision was taken following a demand by the Karnataka State Minorities Commission, he said.

Dr. Parameshwara assured minority communities of withdrawing “unnecessary” cases filed against them after discussing in the Cabinet.