Bitter truth of Akhileshraj revealed by RTI : UP State Minorities Commission says it never studied status of minorities in UP

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/UP-State-Minorities-Commission-says-it-never-studied-status-of-minorities-in-UP/articleshow/42711450.cms

Neha Shukla, TNN | Sep 17, 2014, 03.37PM IST
LUCKNOW: Will the status of cabinet minister to its chairman bring a
turnaround for UP State Minorities Commission? UP governor Ram Naik
has questioned the 'haste and urgency' shown by chief minister
Akhilesh Yadav to accord "cabinet minister status" to the chairman of
UP State Minorities Commission. Now, it's the dismal record of the
commission in carrying out its duties which makes the government's
favour to the head of a statutory body which is 'near-redundant' in
the state even more questionable.

The commission has replied in negative to almost every RTI query on
its duties and functions. It says it has no record available on the
number of communal riots that have taken place in UP and has done
nothing to ensure effective implementation of Sachchar committee
recommendations in the state.

The state minorities commission says it has done no study to assess
the progress and growth of minorities in UP, as goes the mandate. It
also has not monitored if the benefits given to minorities under
various laws are reaching the intended in UP. When asked to provide
the list of recommendations made to the government for betterment of
minorities under RTI, the commission sought 'time' to compile the
information due to "dearth of staff and resources."

In between June 2009 and June 2014, commission received about 18,445
complaints but it also included grievances of the commission's own
staff and its internal correspondence. In that case, to say how many
of these complaints had to do with the rights and betterment of
minorities in the state is not possible. The commission has meted out
no (zero) punishment in the five year period, recommended no (zero)
compensation, took up no (zero) complaints for case studies, did no
(zero) study on educational, social and economic issues of the
minorities and have no (zero) annual reports to share.

Among the many objectives of the commission, the important ones are to
study and assess the growth of minorities in the state, act against
any infringement of the rights of minorities and raise the matter at
relevant forums, investigate and resolve any discrimination practiced
against minorities besides preparing and submitting reports on
difficulties faced by minorities to the state government.

RTI applicant Salim Baig who had sought the information has now
written to the governor highlighting the state of the minorities
commission. A single-member Minorities Commission was established in
UP In 1969. Later, in 1974, Commission was constituted with equal
representation from every minority group in the state. It was given
statutory powers in 1994.