Who Is Nirmal Jain? RSS Veteran Named First Non-Muslim Head Of Delhi Minorities Commission

A former East Delhi mayor and BJP veteran with a five-decade association with the RSS, Nirmal Jain has become the first non-Muslim to head the Delhi Minorities Commission since its formation in 2000.

Senior BJP leader Nirmal Jain has been appointed as the first non-Muslim head of the Delhi Minorities Commission.

Source : PTI

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• Appointments strengthen minority rights, promote social harmony.

The Delhi government has appointed senior BJP leader and former East Delhi mayor Nirmal Jain as the new chairperson of the Delhi Minorities Commission, making him the first non-Muslim to head the statutory body since its formation in 2000.

The government also appointed Kuldeep Singh and Mohammad Haroon as members of the commission, saying the new team would strengthen the protection of minority rights, promote social harmony and improve the commission's functioning.

The commission had remained without a chairperson for nearly three years after the resignation of Zakir Khan in 2023.

Who Is Nirmal Jain?

Seventy-year-old Nirmal Jain is a veteran BJP leader with nearly 50 years of association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He has been active in public life since his student days and has held several organisational responsibilities in the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

According to his profile, Jain also served as treasurer of the Shahdara district unit of the Jana Sangh, the BJP's predecessor, and worked as an RSS Vistarak in Jammu in 1977.

A Commerce and Law graduate from the University of Delhi, Jain joined the BJP at its inception in 1980 and later served as president of the party's Shahdara district unit.

He entered electoral politics after winning the municipal election from Shahdara ward in the erstwhile East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) in 2007. He later became Leader of the House in EDMC from 2018 to 2020 and served as Mayor of East Delhi in 2021.

Government's Focus On Minority Welfare

Announcing the appointments, the Delhi government said the reconstituted commission would help expedite the resolution of issues concerning minority communities while strengthening dialogue, trust and cooperation among different sections of society.

"The appointments are significant steps towards strengthening the rights, dignity and welfare of all sections of society. They will also promote social harmony and further strengthen trust and cooperation among all communities," the government said.

The Delhi Minorities Commission was established under the Delhi Minorities Commission Act, 1999 to safeguard the rights and interests of minority communities in the national capital. Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and Jains are recognised as minority communities under the Act.

About The Delhi Minorities Commission

The Delhi Minorities Commission was established under the Delhi Minorities Commission Act, 1999, to safeguard the rights and interests of minority communities in the national capital.

The notified minority communities in Delhi include Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and Jains. The commission consists of a chairperson and two members nominated by the Delhi government.

New Delhi Commission For Women Team

The Delhi government also reconstituted the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), appointing Lata Gupta as its new chairperson.

A two-time municipal councillor and currently the BJP Delhi unit's vice-president, Gupta will head the women's panel. Shyam Bala, Malti Verma, Lata Sodhi, Sanrakshika Sharma Jha and Renu Bhalla have been appointed as members.

The government said the new appointments would strengthen the commission's role in ensuring women's safety, protecting their rights and improving access to justice and assistance.