Imphal, December 18: Stressing on the need to ensure and protect the rights of the minority communities, the International Minorities Day was observed along with a function at Kangla Hall here today.

The observance function was organised under the joint auspices of Manipur State Minorities Commission and All Manipur Minorities Forum.

Minister of MOBC Md Alauddin Khan and Chairperson of Manipur State Minorities Commission A Halim Choudhury were respectively chief guest and president of the function which was also attended by retired Judge of Family Court L Rabindra Singh, president of All Manipur Minorities Forum MS Ningomba and Baldev Singh, representative of Sikh community as guests of honour.

Giving the key note address of the observance function, secretary of Manipur State Minorities Commission Syed Wahidur Rahman recalled that on December 18, 1992, the United Nations adopted a decision to the effect of observing December 18 every year as the Minorities Rights Day all over the world.

On the significance of observing Minorities Rights Day, Syed Wahidur Rahman explained that the main objective is to protect and promote the rights of the minorities, enhance co-operation and understanding among the minorities, bring up their issues at the National level for necessary redressal and to spread awareness on the rights of the minorities.

In his address as chief guest of the function, MOBC Minister Md Alau-ddin Khan said although the bill of the Manipur State Minorities Commission was set up 2004, it has not yet been able to function properly.

Nonetheless, all the necessary clearances for its full operation have been taken up and the bill would be soon placed for discussion in the State Assembly so that the same Act be enacted as Act, the Minister said, adding that it is essential to find out how far the minority groups living in the State like Buddhists, Sikhs, Christians, Muslims, etc have been benefited from the skill and economic development programmes of the Government.

In order to ensure all these benefits, monitoring evaluation of the minorities have been completed, he informed, while pointing out that in accordance to the report of the evaluation, only 65 percent of the minorities are receiving the benefits of the economic development of the Government and the percentage of the minority population benefiting from the skilled development programme is still very low.

So every possible efforts would be made by the Government to ensure that the minorities are given their due rights and benefits in the coming years, the Minister assured.

Representatives of various minority communities like Buddhists, Sikhs, Christians and Muslims were also present and spoke at the occasion drawing the attention of the Government toward the problems of their respective communities.

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