In protest against the recent lynchings, Shabnam Hashmi, a social activist, returned the National Minority Rights Award at a news conference on Tuesday. She had received this award nine years ago.
Hashmi, at a press conference, said that she felt strongly about the things happening with the minority communities and had made up her mind to return her award. She also said that the current government had failed to provide dignity and security to the minority communities.
The National Minority Rights Award is given every year on Minorities Rights Day on December 18 for their contribution towards the promotion and protection of the rights of minorities over a period of time.
Shabnam, who was conferred with the award back in 2008, has visited the National Commission of Minorities (NCM) for returning the award. She said she had been trying to seek an appointment with the NCM chairman for the last two days but could not get one, reported Times of India. The award was handed over to commission director T M Skaria as NCM chairperson Gayorul Hasan Rizvi wasn't available.
In a letter to the commission, she said: "I return the National Minority Rights Award, which has lost all its credibility, in protest against the consistent attacks and killings of the members of the minority communities and total inaction, apathy and tacit support to the violent gangs by the government."
She said the commission should have taken suo moto action against each and every incident, reported The Quint.
