2014 general elections: Minority concerns now major issue for Congress

NEW DELHI: In the run-up to the Lok Sabha election next year, the Congress-led UPA government is planning to fulfill its promises on Communal Violence Bill and Equal Opportunities Commission to address the concerns of minorities, a traditional Congress vote base that the party is desperately trying to retain.

In an interaction with minority groups at Jawahar Bhawan, organised by the party as part of its manifesto framing exercise, Congress renewed its promises made in 2009 election manifesto. As representatives, drawn from varied backgrounds, expressed concerns about unfulfilled promises, Congress leader and Minority Affairs minister Salman Khurshid said that a Cabinet note on Equal Opportunities Commission was ready and would be brought before the Cabinet soon. He also said that Communal Violence Bill would be brought in the next session of Parliament and would be introduced in the Rajya Sabha.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi was present for an hour at the day-long session. A day after his visit to riot-hit Muzaffarnagar, Gandhi recounted the fear among Muslims in the area and relief camps. Recalling the fear of a young boy he met at a relief camp in Shamli near Muzaffarnagar he said, "No person of any community or caste should ever be scared in India. This is a secular country." He stressed the need to fight the politics "that thrives on creating fear". The Congress vice-president said that his party believed in "shanti ke saath kranti" (peace and transformation).

Representatives of minority communities expressed concern over slow implementation of government schemes. One of the concerns was on displacement of minorities from their home states. Congress is considering including a central legislation to prevent forcible migration in its 2014 manifesto.