The Times of India
17 Sep 2007
Q&A: 'Key concern is lack of post-violence justice'
The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) recently held a public hearing for minorities, the first of its kind in Mumbai, and met Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. Well-known academic and member of the NCM, Zoya Hasan, speaks to Jyoti Punwani on what she heard:
From the public hearing you held in Mumbai, what according to you are the main issues troubling the city’s Muslims?
The most important issue troubling Muslims in Mumbai is the complete lack of justice after the riots of 1992-93 and the urgent need to punish the guilty policemen and politicians involved. A related issue raised was the enhancement of compensation on the lines of the package announced by the central government for the anti-Sikh riots of 1984, and more recently for the victims of the post-Godhra violence. Other important issues were raised, but in the end the key issue was the absence of post-violence justice.
You have held such hearings elsewhere. Are Mumbai Muslims' problems very different?
In Chennai, minority communities focused on socio-economic rights, but they expressed concern over the targeting of minorities on suspicion of involvement in terrorist violence. But in Mumbai, by far the prime issue is justice for victims of the riots. People gave vent to their anger and frustration with the Maharashtra government for its lack of political will to implement the Srikrishna commission's report. The community voiced their concern that governance was unfair to them, they expressed a pervasive feeling of insecurity and distrust of the instruments of the state, especially law enforcement agencies. But people also expressed strong faith in the Constitution and many of them repeatedly said they were asking for nothing more than fairness and justice from the government.
Did you find the government interested in responding to the community's concerns?
The government must remove communal biases that have crept into the functioning of institutions which often immobilise the state and prevent it from being able to provide justice. One solution to the problem of institutional communalism is through increasing the presence of minorities in positions of authority generally, and not just in minority concentration districts, so as to incorporate the concerns of minorities in governance. The government can assuage the feelings of hurt and resentment by implementing the recommendations of the Srikrishna commission and expedite all cases relating to the Mumbai riots. In fact, the CM gave an assurance that he is fully committed to the implementation of the commission report.
Do other minorities feel secure under this government?
They also feel victimised. For example, representatives of the Christian community complained of atrocities by certain organisations in civil society and asked for effective protective measures.
|
