Source: Huieyen News Network / Newmai News Network
Imphal, December 31 2008:
ON THE occasion of the Minorities Rights Day observed at the Kangla Hall in Imphal East on Wednesday by the Manipur State Minorities Commission and All Manipur Minorities Forum, various officials of the state and the commission laid emphasis on implementation of the Minorities Act besides uplifting the minorities of the state.
The observation was attended by the communities such as the Muslims, the Christians, the Sikhs and the Buddhists who are considered minorities of the state.
Addressing the function, prof Dr S A Latif Shah observed the need to implement the Minority Act in the act asserting that the non-implementation of the act was becoming a loop hole in the functioning and works related to the minorities of the state.
Stating further that these four communities of the state backward in the state educationally and socially, Dr.Shah asserted that the Minority Commission should implement the Act as the programmes were for the benefits of the minorities of the state.
Adding that the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and the Women Commission had started working with a full-fledged act, the professor also reminded of the 15 (fifteen) points of the Prime Minister Programme for minorities which includes rehabilitation of communal riots, housing scheme, improvement of education, recruitment to services etc.
On the other hand, Md.Allaudin Khan, minister of Minority and Other Backward Classes (MOBC) informed that the MOBC department was becoming one of the major departments of the state in terms of education and development.
In this regard, he also made a sincere appealed to the militant outfits operating in the state not to disturb the developmental programmes which were especially for the people living below poverty line (BPL).