The Congress-led UPA government has proposed a separate department related Standing Committee especially to look into the issues of Ministry of Minority Affairs. The proposal with political overtone is seen as a slew of appeasement measures by the Centre to reap electoral dividends.
Documents accessed by The Sunday Standard reveal the Prime Minister office (PMO) has forwarded a note to the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry seeking its comments for setting up of a Standing Committee for Minority Affairs after getting a concurrence from the Minority Affairs Ministry. As per existing arrangement Social Justice and Empowerment Committee is responsible for examining the bills, annual reports, policy documents and demand for grants of the Minority Ministry. The PMO letter dated July 5, 2013 to the Secretary Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs directed that comments in the matter to be expedited. The issue of separate Standing Committee was earlier raised by minority MPs in a meeting in 2012. PMO in April 2013 had asked for the views of Ministry of Minority Affairs after it received a letter from Rajya Sabha MP Sabir Ali.
Ministry in a letter dated June 27, 2013 confirmed that it examined the issue and it would be appropriate if a separate standing committee is created to look into the affairs of the ministry.
“Seven years have passed after the creation of this ministry and with the passage of time the budgetary allocation has also gone up from `500 crore in 2007-08 to `3,511 crore for the financial year 2103-14 and more new schemes have been introduced for the welfare of minority communities,” ministry told PMO.
Ministry said it has also been allocated to look into the wakf matters, which has no direct connections with the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. “The introduction of Wakf Bill 2013 in Rajya Sabha and the creation of National Wakf Development Corporation along with the National Minorities Development and Finance Corporations are the issues solely concerned with this ministry,” The Ministry in its opinion informed the PMO.
Although, UPA-II, accused of creating a sense of policy paralysis and making India, epicentre of crony capitalism, remained aloof to several legislative and administrative measures and reforms including Lokpal bill, it had moved to revive some controversial bills including Communal Violence bill, 2013, purely to revive its sullied image among minority voters.