IT came as what was expected of the government. The setting up of a committee on minority affairs, as usual, utterly ignored low-caste Hindus. All the members of the committee are chosen from the community which constitutes only 20 per cent of the total population of Hindus living in Sindh.

Low-caste Hindus have been left at the mercy of these handful people since the implementation of a joint electorate.

Be it the flood of 2010, the recent flood, the allotment of reserved seats of minorities in the upper house, the lower house and provincial assembly, the appointment of adviser to the chief minister, the development projects and all other affairs, low-caste Hindus have always been maltreated.

Democracy means the rule of majority over the minority. But here the case is reverse. Only 20 per cent of high caste Hindus rule over the 80 per cent of low-caste Hindus. High caste Hindus are business tycoons and it is their party fund which determines qualifications and eligibility in the legislature other than their ability and mass support.

The lives of the low-caste Hindus are in the worst of their state but none of the pseudo-representatives has ever raised a voice for them in their respective houses of legislation. In fact, they have never uttered a single word on the point of order other than voting.

If the government is determined to bless these handful high caste Hindu business tycoons only in the name of party fund, bypassing the majority, it is better for the government to snatch the right of vote from low-caste Hindus. Vote is of no use for them if it fails to bring about a change in their lives.

VIJESH KUMARGhotki