On 11-12 August 2012, a team of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) consisting of Planning Commission Member, Dr. Syeda Hameed, Advisor Dr. G. B Panda, and Member of NCM, Keki N. Daruwalla visited the riot affected areas of western Assam.
The NCM’s report was covered in the press on 16 August 2012 suggesting that it was released on 15 August, India’s Independence Day and an official holiday. On 16 August 2012, in one hand, The Indian Express in its front page reported about fleeing of over 6,000 people hailing from North East India from Bangalore because of threats and fear of attacks, The Hindu on the other hand reported about the findings of the NCM that the conflict was unequal as the Bodos were killing Muslims with AK 47s and there is impending fear of militant Jihadis supplying arms to Assam.
The report of the NCM contains biased and inflammatory comments with the potential to radicalize Muslims and increase the risks of the North Eastern people who have nothing to do with the riots in Assam but being attacked simply because of their “Tibeto-Mongoloid” features.
There is a clamour growing demanding the visit of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) as the Bodos are scheduled tribes. A report by the NCST focusing on the rights of the tribals at this moment is neither likely to contribute to the reconciliation nor undo the communalisation of the riots in Assam by the NCM.
By 20 August 2012, about 50,000 people hailing from various parts of North East have fled from mainland India. A majority of them are Christians and therefore fall within the mandate of the NCM. It is deeply regrettable that the NCM instead of protecting these minorities have actually made their situation more vulnerable by compromising independence and impartiality that is least expected from a National Human Rights Institution. The NCM must not repeat the mistakes raised in this report.
(Print version of this report is not available)
