Don't discriminate against minorities while registering FIRs: Home Ministry to states

Delhi: The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday told state governments not to discriminate against minorities while registering FIRs.

 In a communication, the Home Ministry told the states and union territories that as per CrPC, a police officer is duty- bound to register a case on the basis of any information disclosing a cognisable offence and FIR has to be registered irrespective of territorial jurisdiction.

"National Commission for Minorities in its annual report 2011-12 has recommended prompt action in registration of FIRs, timely filing of charge sheet and speedy trial to restore the faith of minorities. In this regard, it is pertinent to note that registration of FIR is the first step in the whole process. Therefore, all states/UTs must ensure that utmost promptness in registering FIRs is extended to all those who approach the police for registration of FIRs without any discrimination of whatever kind," the advisory sent on Monday said, as per PTI.

The Home Ministry also asked the state governments to ensure that the instructions are circulated amongst all concerned departments, organisations and others for strict compliance.

The advisory comes on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke his silence and described the Dadri lynching and opposition to Ghulam Ali's concert as "undesirable and unfortunate".

He also made clear his government had nothing to do with them but accused the Opposition of indulging in "pseudo secularism" and politics of polarisation.

At the same time PM charged that the Opposition was using minorities as vote bank by raising the bogey of communalism.

"The Dadri incident or opposition to Pakistani singer is undesirable and unfortunate. But what is the central government's relation with these incidents", Modi told Bengali daily Ananda Bazar Patrika, as per PTI.

This is the first time that the Prime Minister has spoken directly on the Dadri incident, where a Muslim man was killed over rumours of beef eating, though last week he had made a strong plea that Hindus and Muslims should not fight each other but poverty. He had also referred to the President's call for maintaining India's core values of tolerance and mutual respect.

The Prime Minister had made his remarks last week in an election meeting after coming under attack for his "silence" on the Dadri incident.

This was also his first reaction to the Ghazal concert cancellation forced by BJP's ally Shiv Sena's threat to disrupt the event last week in Mumbai.

(With PTI inputs)