DEHRADUN: In a move that has reignited political tensions in Uttarakhand ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Pushkar Singh Dhami-led government has initiated a comprehensive study to audit the status of minorities in the state.
The administration has constituted a seven-member high-level committee to conduct the study, which will analyse the socioeconomic, educational and cultural shifts within minority communities over the last 25 years, essentially since the inception of the state.
The committee will be chaired by retired judge Akhilesh Chand Sharma. Other members include retired IAS officer Shatrughan Singh, Doon University Vice-Chancellor Surekha Dangwal, subject expert Manu Gaur, State Minority Commission Vice-Chairperson Farzana Begum, social worker Rajpal Singh, and the Director of the Minority Welfare Department as the member secretary.
Speaking to TNIE, senior committee member and retired IAS officer Shatrughan Singh stated, "The committee’s work is in progress, and it has already held four meetings."
According to the official mandate, the committee is tasked with evaluating the economic and educational status of minorities. It will prepare a detailed report based on empirical data, which will guide the government’s future welfare policies.
While the state government has insisted that the exercise is purely administrative, the Opposition has raised strong concerns. Mohan Kala, spokesperson for the Uttarakhand Congress, alleged that the timing is suspect.
"The way the BJP is allegedly trying to delete names of people from the Muslim community from electoral rolls through the SIR process, it appears the government is gathering this data to create a hostile environment and facilitate exploitation," Kala told this newspaper.
The ruling BJP has dismissed these allegations as fear-mongering. Khajan Das, Minister for Minority Welfare in the Uttarakhand government, defended the study, stating, "The decision to assess the educational and economic status of minorities will provide the government with a clear record. This data will enable the government to take informed decisions for their development."
Shadab Shams, Chairman of the Waqf Board, echoed these sentiments, accusing the Opposition of habitual negativity. "The Muslim community is already benefiting from various development schemes in the state," Shams told TNIE. "However, the Congress is always seen standing with negative narratives and attempting to divide people socially."
Meanwhile, Azad Ali, President of the Jan Adhikar Party, expressed severe scepticism, claiming the committee was formed "secretly".
"The BJP has always been against minorities, particularly the Muslim community, to gain political leverage," Ali stated. "This surreptitious formation of a committee suggests a conspiracy is being hatched to strip the community of its rights."