Laskar Committee Report Explained

The Laskar Committee was a one-man Committee which was constituted by the Chairman of the Minority Department of All India Congress Committee (AICC) in October 2016 to formulate and suggest a strategy to attract Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and other religious minorities belonging to the North East region of India towards the Indian National Congress party.[1] [2] [3] The committee was headed by a Congress ideologue and prominent author and scholar from the Northeast Indian state Assam Rejaul Karim Laskar.[4]

Background

The Northeast region of India has traditionally been a stronghold of the Congress party since India's independence.[5] However, since the inauguration of the Modi Government at the centre, the BJP started to challenge Congress party's dominance in the region.[6] By mid 2016, BJP had replaced two Congress government's in the region, first in Arunachal Pradesh and then in Assam.[7] To make matters worse for the Congress, the BJP not only gave call for making the region "Congress Mukt" (free from Congress) but also constituted a regional panel named as North East Democratic Alliance with the avowed aim of eliminating the Congress from the region.[8] Under the circumstances, the Congress central leadership woke up to the need to formulate an effective strategy to deal with the challenge and to retain its support base in the region.[9] [10] Consequently, Congress ideologue and prominent author and scholar from Assam Rejaul Karim Laskar was roped in to formulate a strategy to consolidate Congress party's support base among the religious minorities of the region- especially the Christians.[11] [12] [13]

Controversy

India's ruling party BJP has criticized this move of the Congress party. BJP national Spokesperson Nalin Kohli has been quoted as saying, "The move to attract Christians, Muslims, and other communities ...has only confirmed that the Congress has a communal agenda...".[14]

Report

After holding extensive consultations with Congress party leaders of the region as well as civil society leaders including prominent Church leaders[15] of the region, the Committee submitted its 148-page report to the AICC in April 2017.[16] [17] [18] The main part of the report consisted of seven chapters.[19] The chapter seven of the report contained recommendations.[20]

Recommendations

The major recommendations of the committee are:

-Greater representations to the Christians from the region.[21] [22]

-Creation of a North East Congress Minority Coordination Committee.[23]

- Holding of an "Annual North East Dialogue".[24]

-"Proper" representation to people belonging to Donyi-Polo, Sanamahi and Niam-Khasi/Niamtre religions.[25]

Notes and References

  1. News: Cornered, Congress pulls all stops to retain base in northeast. 16 July 2017. The Times of India. 7 October 2016.
  2. News: Congress seeks support of diverse communities. 2 July 2017. Meghalaya Times. 3 November 2016.
  3. News: Cong to woo NE minorities. 16 July 2017. Oh! Meghalaya. 2 November 2016.
  4. News: Congress seeks support of diverse communities. 2 July 2017. Meghalaya Times. 3 November 2016.
  5. News: 'Congress-mukt' North East: With Assam and Arunachal in the bag, BJP now has Manipur in sight. 25 July 2017. Scroll. 23 September 2016.
  6. News: Pisharoty. Sangeeta. How the BJP Set the Agenda for Its Ambitious 'Look Northeast' Policy. 25 July 2017. Wire. 31 December 2016.
  7. News: BJP wins majority in Assam, defeats Congress for the first time in 15 years. 25 July 2017. First Post. 19 May 2016.
  8. News: BJP Crafts North East Democratic Alliance to Make the Region 'Congress Mukt'. 25 July 2017. The Wire. 25 May 2016.
  9. News: Cornered, Congress pulls all stops to retain base in northeast. 16 July 2017. The Times of India. 7 October 2016.
  10. News: Cong preparing strategy to woo NE minorities. 25 July 2017. The Shillong Times. 3 November 2016.
  11. News: Cornered, Congress pulls all stops to retain base in northeast. 16 July 2017. The Times of India. 7 October 2016.
  12. News: Cong to woo NE minorities. 16 July 2017. Oh! Meghalaya. 2 November 2016.
  13. News: Cong preparing strategy to woo NE minorities. 25 July 2017. The Shillong Times. 3 November 2016.
  14. News: BJP slams Cong strategy. https://web.archive.org/web/20161108144928/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1161107/jsp/northeast/story_117810.jsp. dead. 8 November 2016. 2 July 2017. The Telegraph. 8 November 2016.
  15. News: AICC minority department reaches out to Christians in NE. 2 July 2017. Nagaland Post. 13 December 2016.
  16. News: Laskar Committee for greater representation of Christians. 2 July 2017. Eastern Mirror. 28 April 2017.
  17. News: Bid to bring NE minorities under party fold. 2 July 2017. The Shillong Times. 29 April 2017.
  18. News: AICC Appoints Minority Observer for 3 Poll Bound States. 16 July 2017. Northeast Today. 15 May 2017.
  19. News: AICC report. 16 July 2017. Oh! Meghalaya. 27 April 2017.
  20. News: Laskar Committee for greater representation of Christians. 2 July 2017. Eastern Mirror. 28 April 2017.
  21. News: Laskar Committee for greater representation of Christians. 25 July 2017. Eastern Mirror. 27 April 2017.
  22. News: Christian votes in mind, Cong eyes overhaul. 25 July 2017. The Times of India. 11 May 2017.
  23. News: AICC report. 25 July 2017. Oh1 Meghalaya. 27 April 2017.
  24. News: Laskar Committee for greater representation of Christians. 25 July 2017. Eastern Mirror. 27 April 2017.
  25. News: Laskar Committee for greater representation of Christians. 25 July 2017. Eastern Mirror. 27 April 2017.

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