No ‘hate crime’ complaints in last 3 years, says NCM head

Aksheev Thakur

New Delhi, June 14

The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has not received a single complaint since 2021 that could be classified as ‘hate crime’.

NCM chairman Iqbal Singh Lalpura said, “In the past three years, we have not received a single case of hate crime. The NCM receives 1,500 complaints every year. The nature and types of complaints range from personal problems, property matters and matrimonial disputes.”

“We (NCM) have visited violence-affected areas like Nuh and Jahangirpuri. During meetings, it was learnt that the perpetrators of so-called ‘hate crime’ were persons with criminal mindset and the whole community did not indulge in violence. Rather it was found that communities protected each other’s place of worship. In Jahangirpuri, policemen were injured,” he said. Communal clashes took place in 2022 in Jahangirpuri and in Nuh in 2023.

Lalpura said the NCM had taken suo motu cognisance of the Kaithal incident where a Sikh was allegedly called a ‘Khalistani’ and beaten up.

“I spoke to the Haryana DGP on June 12 and asked him to take action against the accused and also extend help to the victim. A report in this regard is expected by July 2,” Lalpura said. He said the NCM would hold Sarv Dharm Samvad in which representatives of all minority communities would be invited.