After being pulled up by the Delhi High Court while adjudicating a public interest litigation filed by Buddhist activist Abhay Ratan Bauddh, India’s Union government has appointed former Indian Police Service officer from Punjab and spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janta Party -Iqbal Singh Lalpura, as the chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities. Despite the Delhi High Court order, the commission has only a Vice-chair, while five posts are still vacant. WSN editor and human rights activist Jagmohan Singh, who has worked closely with the body, uncovers the significance of this move by the right-wing government which barely cares for minority rights.

Iqbal Singh Lalpura, a senior police officer from Punjab fully ‘qualifies’ to be the chief of the National Commission for Minorities. He has been a pliable police officer, controversial during the militancy period in Punjab, decorated with Presidential and Police medals, who joined the BJP party soon after retirement to reach the zenith like the present one and the icing on the cake is the Indian media calling him “a Sikh philosopher who has written many books on the Sikh religion.”

Iqbal Singh Lalpura has been “awarded” the post for facing farmers’ ire in Punjab on the question of 3 anti-farmer laws and for his meritorious police services as SSP Amritsar and SSP Tarn Taran during militancy in the Punjab.  

No one has any doubts that the Bharatiya Janata Party has no love lost for minorities in India.  How else one can explain that while the minorities suffer daily, the BJP government takes months to fill posts to the National Commission for Minorities and in the court proceedings hides behind the fact that the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992, is silent on the subject of automatic filling of the posts.

The petitioner Abhay Ratan Bauddh, National Organizer, National Co-ordination Committee of Buddhist Organizations, represented by advocate Vinay Kumar, had sought directions to fill vacant posts of chairperson and members from the Buddhist, Christian, Parsi, Sikh and Jain communities as per the National Commission for Minorities Act. 

Ironically, India’s Ministry of Minority Affairs cited that utmost care is required to select nominees, Covid19 pandemic has been a hindrance and ultimately that model code of conduct is in place.

However, Justice Pratibha Maninder Singh was dissatisfied and observed in her 8 March 2021 order that “This Court has perused the affidavit filed on record and the same is completely unsatisfactory. The mere fact that persons of eminence, ability and integrity have to be appointed would not mean that the said appointments would not be expeditiously made. The vacancies ought to be expeditiously filled and there ought to be a proper timeline for the same. Accordingly, it is directed that within a period of two weeks, the status of the specific appointments shall be given in a status report, along with proper timelines.”  Yet the appointment was delayed and was finally done on 10 September 2021.

From the previous Commission, chairperson Syed Ghayorul Hasan Rizvi demitted office on 25 June 2020. Vice Chairperson  Atif Rasheed continues in office to date. Members Sunil Singhi, Ms Sulekha Kumbhare, Shri Vada Dasturji Khurshed Kaikobad Dastoor and Manjit Singh Rai all demitted office by June 2020. So, for the last 15 months, the National Commission for Minorities was a one-man show and this is not the first time that this has happened. 

The appointment of a BJP spokesperson as the Chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities is ominous of the possibilities of justice from this quasi-judicial only-recommendatory body. 

One needs to ask as to how does the Commission function like this? As it is, the NCM is perceived and functions as a toothless body, and with no members, does it not show total disrespect to minorities?

The appointment of a BJP spokesperson as the Chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities is ominous of the possibilities of justice from this quasi-judicial only-recommendatory body. 

Justice Ranganathan Mishra of the Ranganathan Mishra Commission that investigated the pogrom of November 1984 against Sikhs in Delhi and other parts of the country and produced a half-baked report, ended up becoming the Chief of India’s National Commission for Human Rights.  Is Iqbal Singh Lalpura’s appointment also in the same genre?

Breaking the tradition to appoint a Muslim from the biggest minority community in India, the BJP seems to have a dearth of pliable Muslims and hence for the second time in the history of the body, a Sikh member has been appointed as the chairperson, the first one being former bureaucrat Tarlochan Singh, who later went on to become a Member Parliament. 

The appointment of Justice Ranganathan Mishra to the National Commision for Human Rights and now Iqbal Singh Lalpura to the National Commission for Minorities -Is it not of the same genre?

In the past, NCM has had Sikh functionaries in the past who by sheer grit have done timely interventions to uphold Sikh minority rights. The last incumbent -Manjit Singh Rai was quick to intervene in the case of attempted removal of poor Sikhs from the heart of Shillong, where they have been living for two centuries. Tarlochan Singh, during his term also took up issues relating to minorities, including the fate of Afghan Sikhs. Earlier Vice-chairperson Balwant Singh Ramoowalia too intervened in many cases, including the democratisation of the Sikh polity in SGPC. Vice-chairperson Harcharan Singh Josh was also proactive in many spheres, especially the situation and status of poor Sikligar and Vanjara Sikhs. 

In the past, NCM has had Sikh functionaries in the past who by sheer grit have done timely interventions to uphold Sikh minority rights. Yet, it is observed that issues are not taken their logical conclusions.

Yet, it is seen that in many cases, involving Sikhs and other minority communities, that the issues are not taken to their logical conclusion, either because of hidden governmental interference or the sheer fact that the Commission does not convene for lack of quorum. What else can explain that despite being mandatory, many states, including BJP states, do not have functioning State Minority commissions? At the NCM, there is not much research work for “lack of funds” and serious reports that need governmental follow up are not tabled in Parliament.

Iqbal Singh Lalpura has started his public interaction by mentioning on the NCM website that he will be available to members of the public for public consultations on a regular basis. While that may be a good beginning, but if the BJP has notions that by appointing Lalpura and Sampla to coveted national posts, it will be able to satisfy Punjabis, it is sadly mistaken.