MINORITIES - 2002 - Indian Social Institute

condition of some of these is bad," said Shauketkhan Pathan, secretary, Kaumi Relief Committee.
Election is the last thing on the minds of the riot victims still living in relief camps, partly because they have
no expectation from it. In the last polls, many from the minority community had voted for the BJP, which
had promised a riot-free state. With the Congress taking up the cause of relief camp inhabitants who,
without an address, might not be able to vote, those in charge of the camps — and speaking on behalf of
the community — said they would ensure that the BJP is defeated. The Congress has already brought the
issue to the notice of Governor S.S. Bhandari. Tomorrow, it will narrate the situation to the Election
Commission, which will decide when the elections are to be held. (Telegraph, 26-0-7-2002)
26 th July
Opposition asks Advani for an answer to 14 Gujarat queries. (7)
New Delhi, July 25: The Opposition MPs joined forces on Thursday and disrupted the Lok Sabha
proceedings for nearly 10 minutes after the Question Hour to express their dissatisfaction with deputy
prime minister L.K. Advani's reply on Tuesday about the Gujarat issue. As soon as the Question Hour
finished, Congress chief whip Priya Ran) an Das Munshi insisted that Mr Advani had to reply to 14
questions posed by the Opposition either on Thursday itself, or Friday or on Monday. He stood up and told
the Chair, "We will not keep quiet." Taking a cue from him, the other Opposition MPs also started
protesting that Mr Advani had not responded to many of their queries in the House on Tuesday night,
while replying to a discussion on relief and rehabilitation in riot-hit Gujarat. (Asian Age, 26-07-2002)
27 th July
Unaided minority institutions can reserve all seats. (7)
NEW DELHI, JULY 26. The Attorney-General, Soli So-rabjee, today submitted before the 11-Judge Bench
of the Supreme Court that 'unaided' minority educational institutions (MEIs) could reserve for admission
upto 100 per cent of the seats for their communities. Concluding his arguments before the Bench headed
by the Chief Justice, B.N. Kirpal, Mr. So-rabjee said the right of administration and management under
Article 30 of the Constitution also comprised the right to admit students of a particular community for
which the institution had been established.
Referring to the arguments of some of the petitioners that MEIs could provide admission to students
belonging to their community even up-to 100 per cent, the Attorney General said such a proposition could
be accepted if the process of admission was fait and transparent and not taint- ed by nepotism or other
extraneous considerations. To a question from the Bench whether an 'aided' MEI could give weightage to
its community the AG said it would be permissible and not hit by Article 29 (2), if such a preference was
rational and not disproportionate.He maintained that what was rational, whether it was disproportionate or
not, would depend on the facts and circumstances prevailing in a particular MEI. Mr. Sorabjee clarified
that his view on the right of MEIs was not different from that of the Union Government and the
submissions made by the ' Solicitor General, Harish Salve, earlier. He said he had never argued that the
right under Article 30 was absolute as certain regulations could be imposed by the State.(Hindu,
27-7-2002)
27th July
Nudged by court, Soli speaks his mind: rebuts Govt. on minority rights. (7)
NEW DELHI, JULY 26 : PRODDED repeatedly by the judges, Attorney-General Soli Sorabjee today shed
his self-proclaimed neutrality and expressed an opinion contrary to the Government's on whether an aided
minority institution could reserve 50 per cent of the seats for students of its community. While the
Government had contended that such an institution should be debarred from reserving any seats on
religious or linguistic grounds, Sorabjee took the position that the 50% per cent ceiling the court had set in
the St Stephen's case should be removed and tne extent of reservation should depend on "the facts and '
circumstances of the case." This happened after the 11-judge Supreme Court bench hearing the case
over minority rights told Sorabjee, "We will take our own decision. But you tell us what your stand is, not
just what the rival viewpoints are." (Indian Express, 27-7-2002)
29 th July
Curfew clamped in Gujarat town (7)