Book of Integration Council New - Ministry of Home Affairs

problems of the people and their specific requirements, but they are
not involved in the formulation of policies and programmes which directly
affect them. Genuine federalism alone holds the key to the resolution of our
development related problems.
Secondly, the formulas for devolution of central funds should be recast in
such way that states which contribute to the central kitty more should also
receive more. The top-down approach to development has completely failed.
That is why the fruit of economic development are not reaching the targeted
end-beneficiaries.
Promotion of feeling of security concerns among minorities and
vulnerrable sections of society
It is also very significant that today's meeting has brought the minority
question sharply into focus. Not enough has been done to instill a sense of
security in the minds of minority groups. Instead of putting in place a mechanism
for addressing and redressing the concerns of our minorities, we keep harping
on an artifical uniformity. Let us frankly admit that despite our claims to the
contrary, minorities, including the Muslims and the Christians, are not feeling
safe in the country.
Let me speak from experience. The Sikhs are known to be a brave and
patriotic community and they have made by far the largest and the most
significant sacrifices and contribution to the cause of securing and preserving
the freedom of our country. Without mincing words, let me add that despite
this, the Sikhs have been treated most unfairly and condemned as traitors,
thanks to the highly opportunist and dangerous political games of the rulers of
the day. This was in spite of the fact that there were no communal clashes in the
Sikh dominated Punjab even at the peak of terrorism. Normalcy was restored
through unspeakable sacrifices made by the Punjabis, led by the great heroes of
the Shiromani Akali Dal.
But even now, the political opportunism of the past still shows its ugly face in
some of the decisions concerning the Sikhs. The latest example of this is the
dangerous move to try and divide the Sikh community by splitting up their great
religious organization, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC)
and setup a separate committee outside Punjab. The SGPC was formed after the
community made unparalleled sacrifices to earn the right to manage their own
shrines, and it represents the collective religious pride of the Sikhs. It is shocking
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