Date:04/07/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/07/04/stories/2005070409180400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

All minorities should get a chance to head commission, say Konkani Catholics

Staff Reporter

`The Government has considered only Muslims to head the State Minority Commission right from its inception in 1983'

BANGALORE: The Federation of Konkani Catholic Associations (Karnataka) has urged the Government to evolve a policy to ensure that candidates from the non-Muslim minority communities such as Christians, Jains, Buddhists, Sikhs, Parsis and Anglo-Indians are considered for appointment as chairmen of the State Minority Commission and the Minorities Development Corporation on rotation.

It has also urged the Government to include the children of Konkani-speaking people in the State in its quota for CET seats under the Horanadu Kannadiga category. The chairman of the federation, Valerian Fernandes, told presspersons here on Saturday that the Government has considered only Muslims to head the State Minority Commission right from its inception in 1983.

It is the responsibility of the Government to ensure "equal treatment for all minority communities on rotation basis and stop favouring any one community perpetually," he added.

The Minorities Development Corporation was established in 1986 to ensure the implementation of welfare schemes and programmes for all religious minorities.

Of the 16 persons who have headed the commission, nine were senior IAS officials and seven were non-officials from the Muslim community.

Although Christians form the second largest minority community in the State, they are yet to hold the post.

The Government should appoint a deserving Christian to the post, Mr. Fernandes said.

Konkani-speaking Christians come under the religious minority quota and are eligible for admission-related benefits in educational institutions.

Many non-Christian Konkani-speaking communities, such as Gowd Saraswat, Kharvi, Navayaty and Kudumbi, who live both in the State and elsewhere, are kept out of the purview of the government quota for the CET admission. The Government should also accommodate candidates from these communities under the Horanadu Kannadiga quota for educational purposes, he said. The federation has also urged the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, to accommodate either the former Minister Blasius M. D'Souza or Winnifred Fernandes, MLCs, while filling the two vacant ministerial slots.