New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI) The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has advised the state governments to hold 'Sarv Dharma Samvad' meetings with all communities at sub-divisional level every month to curb incidents of hate crimes against minority communities.

The NCM said it has advised the states and the Union Territories (UTs) to identify members of all communities, minority and majority, or opinion makers, NGOs, religious persons and educationists and involve them in the 'Sarv Dharma Samvad' meetings, according to a statement.

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In a bid to protect and safeguard the interest of all minorities, the NCM advised the state governments and UTs to hold 'Sarv Dharma Samvad' with all communities at the sub-divisional level of the states, at least once in a month and, also at district level, half yearly, to curb incidents of attacks or hate crimes against minority communities, the statement issued by the commission said.

The commission stressed that such incidents result in bitterness and communal disharmony amongst communities as hate is caused by mental weakness and anger.

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"Further, every citizen has the right to follow and preach their own religion. Moreover, it should be the responsibility of citizens and society to disown and condemn the hate crimes done by anti-social and disgruntled elements besides the punitive action taken by the government as per law of land," the statement said.

Authorities must evolve mechanisms, duly involving participation of civic society, to deter such anti-social, anti-national forces and to prevent occurrence of violence in the society, the statement said.

The NCM, formed under the NCM Act, 1992, has been inter-alia, entrusted with the responsibility to safeguard the interests of the minority communities. Besides the role, the commission is also to undertake confidence building measures in light of the new and emerging challenges.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)