New Delhi: The KCBC Vigilance Commission has strongly criticized the Central Government's inaction regarding the complete standstill of two key constitutional bodies the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) and the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) which remain leaderless and non-functional following the retirement of their members, including their respective Chairpersons.
In a strongly worded statement, the Vigilance Commission decried this institutional paralysis as a direct assault on democratic values and minority rights, warning that the government’s failure to appoint successors has rendered essential grievance redressal mechanisms defunct. “The deliberate weakening of institutions meant to safeguard the rights and justice of minority communities is equivalent to sidelining them further,” the Commission noted.
Of particular concern is the complete absence of Christian representation in the National Minorities Commission, even prior to its present dormancy. “The commission, which is constitutionally mandated to include voices from every recognized minority community, has now been reduced to silence. This vacuum means that minority groups across India have no formal avenue to seek justice or lodge complaints at the national level,” the statement read.
The National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions too has fallen into administrative inertia, operating without a Chairperson or members, stripping it of the authority to act on crucial issues affecting minority-run educational institutions a sphere particularly vital to the community's development and empowerment.
The KCBC Vigilance Commission pointed out that the freeze comes at a time when minorities in India are increasingly vulnerable to targeted attacks, discrimination, and hate propaganda. “It is both unfortunate and unacceptable that in such a climate, even the right to raise one's voice and seek protection through constitutional channels is being denied,” the Commission observed.
In view of these alarming developments, the KCBC Vigilance Commission has called on the Central Government to urgently appoint new members, including a Chairperson and minority representatives, to both commissions. It also demanded that the appointments reflect the diversity of India’s minority communities, including Christians, whose exclusion has raised serious questions of representation and equity.
The Commission further announced its plan to submit a formal petition to the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the Union Minister for Minority Affairs, urging immediate steps to reactivate both commissions and restore their ability to function as intended. “The Centre must demonstrate its commitment to justice by ensuring these constitutional bodies do not remain hollow structures,” the statement concluded.
With voices growing louder across communities, the call from KCBC serves as a reminder that constitutional safeguards are not symbolic they must be made functional, especially in times of deepening communal fissures.