‘State Government has not responded to Centre's recommendations for preventive measures'
harmony:National Commission for Minorities vice-chairman H.T. Sangliana addressing a meeting of community leaders in Hassan on Tuesday.
Hassan, Mar 10 : National Commission for Minorities vice-chairman H.T. Sangliana has ruled out any political hand behind the recent violence in Hassan and Shimoga districts, and has said that it was a case of religious leaders losing control over the members of the communities who went on the rampage. He further attributed the violence to the lack of social and spiritual education among young people.
Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, Mr. Sangliana said that he would submit a report to the Centre within the week; he would also include recommendations to be forwarded to the State Government.
He also called for everybody to be identified as Indians, rather than members belonging to minority or majority communities, and urged everybody to make the 21st century an era of peace and tranquillity.
Mr. Sangliana said two pre-university students were among those arrested in Hassan. He urged the Superintendent of Police and the Deputy Commissioner to obtain a copy of their hall tickets from their parents, so that their bail applications could be recommended. He also said that he would suggest that the Government provide compensatory appointment to the family members of the two people killed during the violence in Shimoga.
He had also directed the speedy rehabilitation of those affected by the violence, he said. Damage assessment had also been ordered. Mr. Sangliana said that the commission had registered a suo motu case against those accused of violence in the two districts. The Centre would also advise the State regarding preventive measures, he said.
Mr. Sangliana said that the State had the dubious distinction of recording the highest number of cases for attacks on churches and other minority institutions in the country. Cases in the State constitute 75 percent of the total, he said.
Last year, the Centre had written to the State Government suggesting preventive suggestions. As many as 15 steps had been suggested, but there had been no response from the State Government. No Action Taken Report (ATR) had also been filed, Mr. Sangliana said.
Mr. Sangliana stressed the importance of moral and spiritual education for youngsters.
Conversions
Mr. Sangliana denied any incident of forcible conversions in the State. All converts had had a genuine change of heart, he said. He added that 80 per cent of the cases registered by the police for forcible conversion were yet to be charge-sheeted because of the lack of evidence.
