New Delhi, April 12 (Inditop.com) The government Monday reconstituted the National Integration Council (NIC) — a forum headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for interaction on issues of national concern, national integration and make recommendations over them.
The forum will have 147 members, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Bharatiya Janata Party chief Nitin Gadkari and the party’s senior leader L.K. Advani, Communist Party of India-Marxist’s Prakash Karat and leaders of regional and national parties.
Besides union ministers, leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, her counterpart in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, the NIC includes chief ministers and have representation from national commissions, media and business. Eminent public figures and women will also be included in the council.
Leaders of regional political parties nominated to the council are: M. Karunanidhi (DMK), Farooq Abdullah (National Conference), Ajit Singh (Rashtriya Lok Dal), Sukbir Singh Badal (Shiromani Akali Dal), N. Chandrababu Naidu (Telugu Desam Party), E. Ahamed (Indian Union Muslim League), Mayawati (Bahujan Samaj Party), Mulayam Singh Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Lalu Prasad (Rashtriya Janata Dal), H.D. Deve Gowda (Janata Dal-Secular), Sharad Yadav (Janata Dal-United) and Mehbooba Mufti (Peoples Democratic Party).
The reconstituted body also has as its members the chairpersons of the National Commission for Minorities, the National Commission for the Scheduled Castes, the National Commission for the Scheduled Tribes, the National Commission for Women and the National Human Rights Commission.
Among the representatives of business are: Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry president Harsh Pati Singhania, Confederation of Indian Industries president Venu Srinivasan, Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India head Swati Piramal, National Association of Software and Services Companies chief Som Mittal and Tata Sons chairman Ratan N. Tata.
Among the 20 media persons in the council are: N. Ram, Shashi Shekhar, Mammen Mathew, Shekhar Gupta and Barkha Dutt.
The seven women’s representatives include Ela Bhatt, Mohini Giri, Noor Bano and Neerja Chowdhary.
