BJP, Oppn clash in LS over attacks on minorities

BJP, Oppn clash in LS over attacks on minorities
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

NEW DELHI, MAY 5: The Opposition and the Bharatiya Janata Party members on Friday clashed in the Lok Sabha over the issue of recent attacks on minorities and the alleged anti-Sikh activities of the Rashtriya Swayamsevek Sangh even as the Government contended that the findings of the Minorities Commission did not point towards a communal angle in many of the incidents.

Heated exchanges followed charges by Congress member Jagmit Singh Brar during the zero hour that the RSS through Rashtriya Sikh Sangat was distributing anti-Sikh literature in Punjab which was affecting religious harmony in the State.

He alleged that the Human Resource Development Ministry had given Rs 17 crore to the Sangat for such activities. This led to vehement protests by the BJP members Madan Lal Khurana and Vijay Goel, who maintained that such statements were aimed at disturbing peaceful atmosphere in Punjab.

Ramesh Chennithala and A C Jose (both Congress), P C Thomas (Kerala Congress-M) and Suresh Kurup (CPM) brought to the notice of the House an attack on Christians in Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday which drew loud protests from the BJP and the Shiv Sena members.

In the midst of the flutter, former prime minister Chandrashekhar intervened to say that the Government should make its position clear if an impression was gaining ground that it had failed to protect minorities.

Clarifying government's stand, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan said the Minorities Commission's report on attacks on minorities did not suggest "any majority-minority string" in many of the incidents it probed. Mahajan said many of the incidents were actually "atrocities against citizens of the country and not aimed at minorities. The Commission did not not agree with the allegations that many of the cases were attacks against minorities".

The minister assured the House that protection of the minorities was a constitutional duty of the Union and state governments.

Congress member Priyaranjan Dasmunsi challenged the government to table the reports of the Minorities Commission and wanted to know whether the members who had raised the issue of attacks on minorities in the House were lying.

BJP member Kharabela Swain said the incidents referred to in the House by the Opposition members were of "general nature" and not aimed at harassing the Christian community.

Attempts should not be made to portray every incident involving Christians as an attack on them, Swain cautioned.