National   

Muslims welcome thaw

By Our Special Correspondent

New Delhi May 31. A leading Muslim organisation has welcomed the thaw in the India-Pakistan relationship and has hoped that necessary "follow-up actions'' would be taken to take the peace process forward.

The hope was expressed at the two-day convention of the All India Milli Council.

The former Chief Justice of India, Justice A.M. Ahmadi, presided over the first day's deliberations on the "challenges before the nation and minorities in Independent India''.

Others who took part in the discussion included the Socialist leader, Rabi Ray, the Samajwadi Party general secretary, Amar Singh, the CPI leader, Chaturanan Mishra, the former Chief Minister of Punjab, Rajinder Kumar Bhattal, and others.

Justice Ahmadi exhorted that no section of society should be deprived of modern education, and expressed the view that "religious teachings were fine but it should go hand in hand with other important training".

Arguing that the Indian Constitution provided enough safeguards for the protection of citizens human rights, Justice Ahmadi said the official machinery should live up these constitutional obligations.

There was a pattern, according to him, of "participation of official machinery against the minorities'' in Bombay, Sikh riots in Delhi, and last year's Gujarat riots.

Other speakers emphasised the need for a concerted response from the citizens against this tendency of official collusion with the rioter.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Sonia plans brainstorming session
• No compromise on nation's security, says Advani
• Army seeks time to verify Pak. `crackdown' in PoK
• IEDs concealed in consumer articles
• Kalam backs `open' software initiatives
• Takes a shikara ride
• EPF interest cut neutralised by bonus
• `Another attack on workers'
• Scholarships for excellence
• NDA allies in an identity crisis: CPI
• A novel gene mutation triggering pancreatitis
• Sonia's hint at alliance in U.P. welcomed
• `Smoking responsible for 90 p.c. lung cancer deaths'
• Anil Biswas dead
• Report highlights worsening security situation
• Kalam promises succour to Bihar farmers
• Aviation company helps in organ transplant
• Conflict takes a cyber dimension
• Chennai-Dadar special derails
• Deadline set for approval of medical, dental colleges
• Muslims welcome thaw
• Cauvery ryots' meet this week
• V.C. Shukla inducted into NCP working committee
• Samata Party puts off organisational elections

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu