Minorities? headcount ends, but officers deny such exercise

THE HEADcount of the minorities in the Kanpur Municipal Corporation has been completed and the report has been sent to the State Government a few days back.

THE HEADcount of the minorities in the Kanpur Municipal Corporation has been completed and the report has been sent to the State Government a few days back.

HT Image

However, yet again no senior official was ready to confirm the exercise that lasted for over a month in the KMC. Strangely, senior officials continue to feign ignorance about any such exercise.

According to the census of the KMC out of the total 7000 employees, 382 of them are Muslims, 15 are Sikhs, 10 Buddhist and 44 Christians.

There are 44 departments under the Corporation. According to sources, the headcount of minorities was initiated in the Corporation following the directives from the Local Bodies director, who, according to letter which has reached the Corporation, had stated, “A list ascertaining the social, Economic and Academic status of Muslims was being prepared by Justice Rajendra Sachchar Commission constituted by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. “The letter further stated that it is therefore desired to count the number of Muslims working in the Kanpur Municipal Corporation as early as possible.”

Strangely, headcount of Muslim corporators had also been done by the Kanpur Municipal Corporation. However, the details, according to the sources, had not been sent to State Government as the same was not asked for.

However, when asked about the report, Municipal Commissioner Badal Chatterjee feigned ignorance about any such exercise in the Corporation. While talking to Hindustan Times on phone the Municipal Commissioner said, “To the best of my knowledge I have not gone through any such directive neither am I aware of any such exercise being carried out in the KMC.” Similar was the response of the Additional Municipal Corporation I Captain R Vikkram Singh when he was asked about any such exercise on May 29.