New Delhi, March 24: Special courts would be set up soon for Muslim youth accused of various offences, including terror-related charges, Minister for Minority Affairs K. Rahman Khan said here Saturday.

He said that his ministry had written to the home ministry in February asking “cases against Muslim youth who have been arrested should be reviewed. We had also specified that special courts should be made for them”.

Khan added: “The home minister has replied today (Saturday) saying that his ministry strongly supports the proposal for special courts for the expeditious trial of these Muslim youth. The home minister has promised that special courts will soon be made to hear cases against them.”

He added that the home ministry “knows keeping innocents (Muslims) in custody is a serious offence. The government is committed to take strong action against officers found responsible in all such cases and will ensure that such incidents do happen.”

Khan said the government would soon introduce a bill on equal opportunity commission on the recommendations of the Sachar Committee.

“Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC) has been approved by the Group of Ministers (GoM) in the cabinet. There was an issue whether the EOC should implement it for everyone or specifically for the minorities. The GoM has decided it should be only minorities-related. Based on this recommendation we going to introduce a bill, which has been send for the concurrence to the law ministry,” he added.

Stating that the ministry was making efforts to expand scholarships for minority students, the minister said about Rs.1,249.57 crore had been released to support education of over 67 lakh such students.

Khan said that under the “Leadership Development of Minority Women”, about 36,950 women have been trained in 12 states at an expense of Rs.10.45 crore in 2013.

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IANS