MINORITIES - 2002 - Indian Social Institute

the Hindu religion". He emphasised that India must deal with its Muslim minority "in a civilised manner",
ensuring them "security and the rights of citizens in a democratic state". Narayanan's direct reference to
Muslim victims was a first for any high state functionary since the Gujarat carnage. In all his televised
statements on the subject, Prime Minister Vajpayee has refrained from saying that Muslims had been
targeted in the violence there. Addressing the nation on the eve of laying down office, Narayanan said his
"parting appeal" to citizens was that they must "guard our traditions of tolerance for that is the soul of our
culture and civilization, that is the spirit of our Constitution and that is also the secret of success of our
democracy. (Times of India 25.7.02)
25 th July
Church attackers confess to priest (7)
ISLAMABAD, JULY 24. Four Pakistani militants have confessed to a parish priest on Tuesday that they
murdered 17 members of his congregation in a machine-gun attack. The men, members of the banned
Islamic extremist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, boasted of their involvement in the worst massacre
of Christians in Pakistan since Partition almost 55 years ago. They met Father Roccus Patras in a
police cell after being arrested in the town of Vehari in Punjab province. According to the priest, all of the
accused expressed pride in their attack on worshippers gathered at St Dominic's Roman Catholic church
in Bahawalpur last October.
"They said they were satis-fled with what they had done," said Father Patras. "They said it was because of
the American attack on Afghanistan. They said a lot of Muslims were killed there but nobody was taking
any steps to protest, so that's why they planned to kill Christians here in Pakistan." Eight masked men
riding motorcycles raked the congregation at St Dominic's with automatic gunfire as they arrived for a
Sunday service. (Hindu 25.7.02)
26 th July
Minority rights an entitlement. (7)
NEW DELHI, JULY 25. The Attorney-General, Soli Sorabjee, today differed with the Centre and told the
Supreme Court that the right conferred on the minorities under the Constitution was not a concession but
their entitlement because of the vulnerable position in which they were placed.
He was making his submissions before a 11-Judge Bench headed by the Chief Justice, B.N. Kirpal, which
is hearing a batch of over 200 petitions on the rights of the minorities to establish and administer
educational institutions. Mr. Sorabjee, who was asked to assist the court in the proceedings, made it clear
that the right of the minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice was
absolute and could not be tinkered with by any outside agency.
submitted that "there is no question of any confrontation with the Government of India nor any rift between
him and the Solicitor-General nor any pressure by the Government as has been mischievously reported iti,
one national daily. This is wishful thinking-'app wild imagining."
Mr. Sorabjee ina^e It clear that he was not appearing for or against the Government or any of the parties
and he was making the submissions pursuant to the court's directions. Appearing for the Centre, the
Solicitor-general, Harish Salve, had; earlier asserted that secular laws were designed to obtain secular
objects and were not designed to directiy impair the rights under Article 30. It would not be a violation even
if these tended to encroach upon the rights of the minorities to administer the institution. (Hindustan
Times, 26-07-2002)
26th July
Minorities out of focus in Modi poll picture. (7)
Ahmedabad, July 21: If the Gujarat Assembly elections are held in October as desired by chief minister
Narendra Modi, a large section of the minority community may not be able to vote.Not merely the
20,000-odd inmates residing in 10 official and an equal number of unofficial relief camps, but also
hundreds of thousands of riot victims, who have either migrated from the city or are living in rented houses
or putting up with relatives, will be deprived of their democratic right.
Camp organisers say it is next to impossible to rehabilitate all the inmates in two months. Even a section
of the BJP opposed to early elections agrees with the Congress and the camp organisers that so long as
there are refugees, the situation cannot be described as normal. On paper, only 10 camps are functioning
in Ahmedabad after some were shut down by the government to emonstrate that the riot victims were
returning home. However, unofficially and without overnment assistance, 10 more are operating. "The