MINORITIES - 2002 - Indian Social Institute

moral dilemma, the country needs the healing touch of a fair, just and visionary leadership; neither
criminals nor cowards can be entrusted with the fate of this great nation". The Molvi said the law-abiding
common Muslim folk of Gujarat had been targeted by the state-sponsored vandals and arsonists who
looted, raped and murdered indiscriminately. He also criticised the Congress. "The opposition Congress
party in Gujarat has also done precious little to stand by the Muslim community in its hour of need. It is
almost as if they are afraid of upsetting the fundamentalists among the majority community," he said while
admiring the role played by the supercop, K.P.S. Gill, for reining in mischievous elements. (Hindu, 170702)
17 th July
LPG blasts a common agenda of rioters? (7)
Ahmedabad/Vadodara: More time may be needed to establish whether or not riots in Gujarat were
pre-planned. But every time an investigator looks at the pattern of attacks, the widespread use of cooking
gas cylinders appears to be part of a larger conspiracy to foment trouble in the state. Cooking gas
cylinders were increasingly used by mobs to blow up places of worship, factories, houses and business
establishments across the state. And what is surprising is that never before had gas cylinders been put to
such deadly use. Also, investigators wonder how the mobs in Ahmedabad, Vado-dara, Himmatnagar,
Halol and Mehsana could think along similar lines — using cylinders as weapons. This question has been
troubling many police officials who are trying to establish the pattern behind the riots. (Times of India
17.7.02)
17 th July
Minority rights not absolute, Centre tells SC (7)
New Delhi: The Centre has told the Supreme Court that minority communities may be entitled to set up
educational institutions and administer them but such a right could not be an absolute one.
Supporting reasonable restrictions on the minority's right to administer such institutions, solicitor-general
Harish N Salve told an 11-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice B.N. Kirpal that though Article 30 confers
the right to the minorities, it is not so wide as to block state laws which are enacted to achieve secular
objectives. Elaborating his submission during the hearing of about 200 petitions raising the issue of the
minority's right to administer educational institutions, Salve said if the right under Article 30 was made
absolute, then "even if a minority educational institution taught secession or armed revolution, the
government could not interfere in the management". "Nobody can be allowed to do something against
public order under the garb of the right to profess religion," Salve said, adding: "Where the question of
religion is concerned, a total hands off approach for the government could not be perceived, for the
majority nor the minority" Since the Constitution permits legislative intervention regarding management
and administration of "secular schools", Salve said it would be absurd to say that the same would not be
permissible in minority educational institutions. (Times of India 17.7.02)
19th July
Minority-run institutes can’t seek Central aid (7)
New Delhi, July 18: THE CENTRE on Thursday said educational institutions run by minorities cannot seek
aid from the government as a matter of right. Representing the Centre, Solicitor General Harish Salve told
an eleven-judge bench of the Supreme Court that Article 30 (1) of the Constitution does not confer on
minority institutions the right to receive aid. Salve said the government could attach "secular" conditions to
a minority institution, which receives its grant. If the institution does not.get aid, it cannot say its rights have
been violated. ,x However, the Solicitor General said the conditions should not be such so as to compel
the institution to surrender its management to the government. The Supreme Court bench headed by
Chief Justice B.N. Kirpal was hearing about 200 petitions on the extent of the rights of the religious and
linguistic minorities in administering their educational institutions. (Hindustan Times 19.7.002)
18 th July
Minorities Commission takes up cause of Pandits (7)
NEW DELHI 17JULY: THE National Commission for Minorities, which until now has championed the
cause of religious minorities, today took up the case of Kashmir! Pandits, demanding their resettlement in
Kashmir valley. The NCM chairman, Justice Mohammad Shameem, today met deputy prime minister L K
Advani to convey the Commission's concern over the plight of Kashmiri Pandits displaced over the last