Muslim helpline: Scrap minority affairs ministry and commission, says VHP

India, June 26, 2017: The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) attacked the National Minorities Commission (NCM)’s move to set up a helpline for Muslims, saying both the commission and the ministry of minority affairs should be scrapped.

The ministry is under NDA’s lone Muslim minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

A resolution to this effect was passed on Sunday at the conclusion of the two-day central governing council’s meet held at the Swaminarayan Temple at Vadtal in Gujarat. This was a formal reiteration of the demand the VHP first made on June 20.

“Such helpline projects a picture that atrocities against Muslims have reached such proportions that the extreme step of opening a helpline had to be taken up,” said VHP joint secretary Surendra Jain in a statement.

Addressing reporters, Jain alleged this move of the NCM will eventually strengthen feelings of separatism among “Muslim and Christian extremists” in the country.

“Isn’t the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) more than enough to safeguard the rights of all the citizens of the nation,” Jain asked.

He demanded that the NHRC should be empowered while the minorities commission should be scrapped.

The VHP resolution also said Pakistanis and separatists had been using the exact analogy to justify the anti-national activities.

It further said events unfolding in the world prove the point that the extent of rights Muslims enjoy in India cannot be matched with Muslims of the Islamic countries. It said Christian organisations have also been following the footsteps of the commission.

The VHP alleged that there was a political agenda behind such campaigns, even as most of the complaints (made by minorities) in the past have been proven to be baseless.

“The Supreme Court in 2005 had directed the commission to take initiatives to end this anti-national practice of minoritism. Instead, it is increasing the feeling of disintegration. By showing themselves as victims, jihadis and Christian missionaries are trying to gain sympathy. Due to this, some selfish and short-sighted politicians dare to say that stone-pelters are freedom fighters,” the resolution said.

In the resolution, the VHP has challenged the NCM to an open debate to clarify whether jihadis and missionaries are the attackers or victims.

Citing an example of a Muslim mob allegedly beating Hindus in Rajasthan, the resolution also talked about ‘love-jihad.’

It mentioned the Saharanpur violence to drive the point that “jihadis do not even spare Dalits”. It alleged that “jihadis and missionaries attack other minority communities and Buddhists in north India and Sikhs in Punjab are being forced to convert.”

When asked about the violence allegedly committed by gau-rakshaks in name of protecting cows, Jain said they are “respectable citizens” of this country.

“Now a days, gau rakshaks are being portrayed in poor light and even humiliated for saving cows. They are not goons. They are the protectors of law. They deserve respect for what they do. We want the Centre to bring a law to ban cow slaughter across the country,” said Jain.

– hindustan times