New Delhi, June 7: Observing that the states have not yet fully implemented one of the key recommendations of the Sachar Committee report, the Centre has recently written to all the states reminding them to post at least one Muslim inspector or sub-inspector (S-I) in police stations that fall under areas having high concentration of Muslim population.
In a note written to chief secretaries of all the states, the Union home secretary RK Singh urged them to send a status report on it by the end of this month.
The committee, which was constituted on March 9, 2005, under the chairmanship of Justice Rajinder Sachar to prepare a comprehensive report on the social, economic and educational status of Muslims in India, had in its report in November, 2006, recommended this as an initiative to build confidence among community members.
It suggested that it may be useful to have, at least, one Muslim inspector or S-I in police stations in areas having high concentration of Muslim population "not as a matter to eliminate discrimination but as an initiative to build confidence".
Home ministry following up on Muslim cops plan
Reminding the states about an elaborate note written by the then Union home secretary Madhukar Gupta four years ago on the issue, Singh in his note in March had said: "I would once again request you to take appropriate action in the light of the recommendation and also apprise this ministry about the action taken in this regard".
Singh also asked them to do the follow up exercise again in December and make it a practice to send status report to the home ministry on a half-yearly basis.
Sources in the home ministry said that though a number of states had started the practice to post at least one Muslim inspector or S-I in such police stations, the implementation was erratic and consequently the full compliance was yet to be achieved.
Sachar Committee had made various recommendations which are being followed up simultaneously by different ministries, taking into account their jurisdiction and subject.
"The particular suggestion on posting of Muslim cops is being followed up by the home ministry," said an official, adding the status of implementation of other recommendations concerning overall welfare of Muslims will be discussed in the national conference of state ministers for minority welfare here on Thursday.
He said: "The Sachar Committee report was prepared after detailed and wide ranging consultation with state governments, NGOs, Universities, academic bodies, intellectuals and different bodies of the Central government."
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