New Delhi: The Central Government has appointed Harjit Singh Grewal as the Chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) for a term of three years. He succeeds Iqbal Singh Lalpura, who previously served as the head of the commission.
Grewal has been one of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prominent Sikh faces in Punjab and has played an active role in the party’s farmers’ wing. In recent years, however, his political profile had diminished following the induction of several leaders from other political parties into the BJP. Political observers view his appointment as a significant responsibility within the Centre’s minority welfare framework.
The Centre has also appointed S. Munawari Begum as the Vice-Chairperson of the commission, representing the Muslim community, while Glenn E. Souza Ticklo has been nominated as a member representing the Christian community.
The appointments are aimed at strengthening the functioning of the statutory body, which is responsible for safeguarding the rights and interests of notified minority communities across the country.
The National Commission for Minorities monitors the implementation of constitutional and legal safeguards available to notified minority communities and advises the government on issues related to their welfare, protection and socio-economic development.
