Kerala BJP leader George Kurian new vice chairperson of minorities' panel

NEW DELHI: George Kurian, a BJP leader and a social and educational activist from Kerala, has been appointed as the vice chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM).

The appointment was made by Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs (Independent Charge) Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

The Centre had on May 24 nominated five NCM members, including Kurian, to the Commission's vice chairperson post, which had been lying vacant for over two months.

Former national secretary of BJP's minority morcha, Gairul Hasan Rizvi is the chairman of the Commission, which is tasked with the responsibility of safeguarding the constitutional rights of minorities.

Former Maharashtra minister Sulekha Kumbhare, Jain representative from Gujarat Sunil Singhi and Parsi representative Vada Dasturji Khurshed Kaikobad Dastoor are the other members of the Commission.

Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Sikh, Parsi and Jain are the six notified minority communities in the country.