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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=October 2019}}
Laskar Committee was a one-man Committee which was constituted by the Chairman of the Minority Department of [[All India Congress Committee]] (AICC) in October 2016 to formulate and suggest a strategy to attract [[Christians]], [[Muslims]], [[Buddhists]] and other religious minorities belonging to the [[Northeast India|North East region of India]] towards the [[Indian National Congress]] party.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cornered, Congress pulls all stops to retain base in northeast|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Cornered-Congress-pulls-all-stops-to-retain-base-in-northeast/articleshow/54727711.cms|access-date=16 July 2017|newspaper=The Times of India|date=7 October 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Congress seeks support of diverse communities|url=http://www.meghalayatimes.info/index.php/front-page/36392-congress-seeks-support-of-diverse-communities|access-date=2 July 2017|agency=Meghalaya Times|date=3 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cong to woo NE minorities|url=http://www.ohmeghalaya.com/cong-to-woo-religious-minorities/|access-date=16 July 2017|agency=Oh! Meghalaya|date=2 November 2016}}</ref> The Committee was headed by a [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] ideologue and prominent author and scholar from the Northeast Indian state Assam [[Rejaul Karim Laskar]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Congress seeks support of diverse communities|url=http://www.meghalayatimes.info/index.php/front-page/36392-congress-seeks-support-of-diverse-communities|access-date=2 July 2017|agency=Meghalaya Times|date=3 November 2016}}</ref>

==Background==

The [[Northeast India|Northeast region of India]] has traditionally been a stronghold of the [[Indian National Congress|Congress party]] since India's independence.<ref>{{cite news|title='Congress-mukt' North East: With Assam and Arunachal in the bag, BJP now has Manipur in sight|url=https://scroll.in/article/817195/congress-mukt-north-east-with-assam-and-arunachal-in-the-bag-bjp-now-has-manipur-in-sight|access-date=25 July 2017|agency=Scroll|date=23 September 2016}}</ref> However, since the inauguration of the [[Modi Government]] at the centre, the [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] started to challenge [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] party's dominance in the [[Northeast India|region]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Pisharoty|first1=Sangeeta|title=How the BJP Set the Agenda for Its Ambitious 'Look Northeast' Policy|url=https://thewire.in/90575/2016-saw-bjp-setting-agenda-ambitious-look-northeast-policy/|access-date=25 July 2017|agency=Wire|date=31 December 2016}}</ref> By mid 2016, [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] had replaced two [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] government's in the region, first in [[Arunachal Pradesh]] and then in [[Assam]].<ref>{{cite news|title=BJP wins majority in Assam, defeats Congress for the first time in 15 years|url=http://www.firstpost.com/politics/assam-assembly-polls-bjp-congress-gogoi-sonowal-2789920.html|access-date=25 July 2017|agency=First Post|date=19 May 2016}}</ref> To make matters worse for the [[Indian National Congress|Congress]], the [[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]] not only gave call for making the region "Congress Mukt" (free from [[Indian National Congress|Congress]]) but also constituted a regional panel named as [[North-East Democratic Alliance|North East Democratic Alliance]] with the avowed aim of eliminating the [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] from the region.<ref>{{cite news|title=BJP Crafts North East Democratic Alliance to Make the Region 'Congress Mukt'|url=https://thewire.in/38680/bjp-crafts-north-east-democratic-alliance-to-make-the-region-congress-mukt/|access-date=25 July 2017|agency=The Wire|date=25 May 2016}}</ref> Under the circumstances, the [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] central leadership woke up to the need to formulate an effective strategy to deal with the challenge and to retain its support base in the region.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cornered, Congress pulls all stops to retain base in northeast|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Cornered-Congress-pulls-all-stops-to-retain-base-in-northeast/articleshow/54727711.cms|access-date=16 July 2017|newspaper=The Times of India|date=7 October 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cong preparing strategy to woo NE minorities|url=http://www.theshillongtimes.com/2016/11/03/cong-preparing-strategy-to-woo-ne-minorities/|access-date=25 July 2017|agency=The Shillong Times|date=3 November 2016}}</ref> Consequently, Congress ideologue and prominent author and scholar from Assam [[Rejaul Karim Laskar]] was roped in to formulate a strategy to consolidate [[Indian National Congress|Congress]] party's support base among the religious minorities of the [[Northeast India|region]]- especially the [[Christians]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Cornered, Congress pulls all stops to retain base in northeast|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Cornered-Congress-pulls-all-stops-to-retain-base-in-northeast/articleshow/54727711.cms|access-date=16 July 2017|newspaper=The Times of India|date=7 October 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cong to woo NE minorities|url=http://www.ohmeghalaya.com/cong-to-woo-religious-minorities/|access-date=16 July 2017|agency=Oh! Meghalaya|date=2 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cong preparing strategy to woo NE minorities|url=http://www.theshillongtimes.com/2016/11/03/cong-preparing-strategy-to-woo-ne-minorities/|access-date=25 July 2017|agency=The Shillong Times|date=3 November 2016}}</ref>

==Controversy==

India's ruling party [[BJP]] has criticized this move of the Congress party. BJP national Spokesperson [[Nalin Kohli]] has been quoted as saying, "The move to attract Christians, Muslims, and other communities ...has only confirmed that the Congress has a communal agenda...".<ref>{{cite news|title=BJP slams Cong strategy|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1161107/jsp/northeast/story_117810.jsp|access-date=2 July 2017|agency=The Telegraph|date=8 November 2016}}</ref>

==Report==

After holding extensive consultations with [[Indian National Congress|Congress party]] leaders of the [[Northeast India|region]] as well as civil society leaders including prominent Church leaders<ref>{{cite news|title=AICC minority department reaches out to Christians in NE|url=http://nagalandpost.com/Showstory.aspx?npoststoryiden=TkVXUzEwMDEwNjkyNQ%3D%3D-baKI23bNsXM%3D|access-date=2 July 2017|agency=Nagaland Post|date=13 December 2016}}</ref> of the [[Northeast India|region]] , the Committee submitted its 148-page report to the [[All India Congress Committee|AICC]] on April 2017.<ref>{{cite news|title=Laskar Committee for greater representation of Christians|url=http://www.easternmirrornagaland.com/laskar-committee-for-greater-representation-of-christians/|access-date=2 July 2017|agency=Eastern Mirror|date=28 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Bid to bring NE minorities under party fold|url=http://www.theshillongtimes.com/2017/04/28/bid-to-bring-ne-minorities-under-party-fold/|access-date=2 July 2017|agency=The Shillong Times|date=29 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=AICC Appoints Minority Observer for 3 Poll Bound States|url=https://www.northeasttoday.in/aicc-appoints-minority-observer-for-3-poll-bound-states/|access-date=16 July 2017|agency=Northeast Today|date=15 May 2017}}</ref> The main part of the report consisted of seven chapters.<ref>{{cite news|title=AICC report|url=http://www.ohmeghalaya.com/aicc-report/|access-date=16 July 2017|agency=Oh! Meghalaya|date=27 April 2017}}</ref> The chapter seven of the report contained recommendations.<ref>{{cite news|title=Laskar Committee for greater representation of Christians|url=http://www.easternmirrornagaland.com/laskar-committee-for-greater-representation-of-christians/|access-date=2 July 2017|agency=Eastern Mirror|date=28 April 2017}}</ref>

==Recommendations==

The major recommendations of the Committee are:

-Greater representations to the [[Christians]] from the [[Northeast India|region]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Laskar Committee for greater representation of Christians|url=http://www.easternmirrornagaland.com/laskar-committee-for-greater-representation-of-christians/|access-date=25 July 2017|agency=Eastern Mirror|date=27 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Christian votes in mind, Cong eyes overhaul|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/christian-votes-in-mind-cong-eyes-overhaul/articleshow/58621930.cms|access-date=25 July 2017|newspaper=The Times of India|date=11 May 2017}}</ref>

-Creation of a North East Congress Minority Coordination Committee.<ref>{{cite news|title=AICC report|url=http://www.ohmeghalaya.com/aicc-report/|access-date=25 July 2017|agency=Oh1 Meghalaya|date=27 April 2017}}</ref>

- Holding of an "Annual North East Dialogue".<ref>{{cite news|title=Laskar Committee for greater representation of Christians|url=http://www.easternmirrornagaland.com/laskar-committee-for-greater-representation-of-christians/|access-date=25 July 2017|agency=Eastern Mirror|date=27 April 2017}}</ref>

-"Proper" representation to people belonging to [[Donyi-Polo]], [[Sanamahism|Sanamahi]] and Niam-Khasi/Niamtre religions.<ref>{{cite news|title=Laskar Committee for greater representation of Christians|url=http://www.easternmirrornagaland.com/laskar-committee-for-greater-representation-of-christians/|access-date=25 July 2017|agency=Eastern Mirror|date=27 April 2017}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Indian National Congress documents]]

Laskar Committee Report - Revision history

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