In a development of huge significance, leaders of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal were yesterday given a hearing by the entire seven-member National Commission for Minorities (NCM) in which they pleaded with the commission to take up the cause of the "persecuted" Hindus in the Jammu region.
VHP's international senior vice-president Acharya Giriraj Kishore and Bajrang Dal convener Surendra Jain were given a 95-minute hearing by the NCM. The meeting was held at the request of the VHP and the Bajrang Dal, NCM Vice-Chairman Tarlochan Singh told The Tribune.
Interestingly, the contention of Acharya Kishore and Mr Jain was that the Jammu and Kashmir Government (which incidentally is headed by NDA ally National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah) was that after the Kashmir valley the state government was now planning to oust Hindus from Jammu.
They argued that the state government wanted Jammu to be a non-Hindu majority. Their charge was that over and above the terrorist acts, the government rules were such which encouraged Hindus quitting the Jammu region.
Mr Tarlochan Singh said Acharya Kishore and Mr Jain pointed out that new rules had been framed regarding registration of Hindus and examination of certificates and identity cards of Hindus which aimed at terrorising them.
The saffron brigade leaders also argued that the new legislation enacted by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly regarding rehabilitation of oustees who went to Pakistan was also an "anti-Hindu measure". As per this legislation, those who went to Pakistan can come back to Jammu and Kashmir, become citizens there and claim property. This legislation has been stayed by the Supreme Court.
The VHP and the Bajrang Dal wanted that the NCM should intervene and treat Hindus as a minority as per the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.
The commission, Mr Tarlochan Singh said, told them that as per the 1992 Act the NCM had no jurisdiction over Jammu and Kashmir.
"The commission welcomes the assurance
of Acharya Kishore and Mr Jain that they are willing to sit with the commission
and talk and that they favour that all irritants with the other community
should be removed by talks," Mr Tarlochan Singh said.