Cabinet accepts uniform compensation policy for riot victims

A report that recommends a uniform compensation policy to all riot victims and seeks compensation for minority youths falsely implicated in terror cases was accepted by Union Cabinet.

New Delhi: A report that recommends a uniform compensation policy to all riot victims and seeks compensation for minority youths falsely implicated in terror cases was accepted by the Union Cabinet on Thursday for tabling before Parliament. Government gave its go-ahead to the ATR on the 18th annual report of the National Commission of Minorities for the year 2010-11, which was supplemented with a note from Minority Affairs Ministry prepared this year.

In his recommendations made in the report, the then NCM chief Md Shafi Qureshi had said police sensitization towards minorities may be done at regular intervals by means of holding lectures, workshops and seminars by the police academy and state police headquarters. "Arrest of young Muslim boys in terrorism-related incidents had led to a feeling of insecurity in Muslim community. The victims found to be innocent and acquitted by courts should be rehabilitated and compensated. There should be a uniform compensation policy to all riot victims irrespective of any community, caste or creed," he had noted. He had then also recommended speedy trial for victims of Malegaon blast by a special designated court and release of innocent of innocent persons who were detained. "Action may also be initiated against the police personnel who had not discharged their duties honesty," it had said. NCM had submitted the report to the government in 2012. Talking to PTI, NCM chief Wajahat Habibullah said NCM had recommended certain safeguards while taking action in such cases and flagged the concerns among minorities with regard to police action in such cases. The Home Ministry had, however, felt that there are already adequate constitutional and security safeguards available to those accused of terrorism to seek legal remedies. Talking after the Cabinet meeting today, Minority Affairs Minister K Rahman Khan said the Home Ministry had "no objections" to the NCM report but had expressed certain views, which it had placed in response to the NCM`s annual report. He said the Cabinet today accepted the report for placing it before Parliament and further follow-up action will be taken.