Times
of India: Bhopal: Tuesday, 26 May 2015.
Union
ministry of minority welfare is unaware about the criteria on which Muslims,
Buddhists, Sikhs, Christians and Zoroastrians were declared as minorities,
reveals a query made under right to information Act.
Replying to
an RTI query by Neemuch-based activist Chandra Shekhar Gaur, Union ministry
replied, 'No papers about basis on which notification (to declare Muslims,
Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians and Zoroastrians as minorities) was issued are
available with the ministry."
In its reply,
ministry has also informed, "Constitution of India, mentions the word,
'minority' or its plural form in some Articles, but does not define it
anywhere."
Ministry also
said, vide its notification dated October 23, 1993, five communities, Muslims,
Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians and Zoroastrians were declared as minority
communities under section 2 (c) of the minorities Act 1992.
"It is
apparent from the reply that only religious basis and no numerical count was
considered for declaring a community as minority which is against the secular
sentiments of the constitution," says Guar.
In response
to query related to factors leading to inclusion of Jain community in
minorities list, ministry said, 'They do not have caste system and they do not
believe in trinity of Hinduism.'
Jains are a
distinct community that follows distinct religion, says ministry's reply,
adding, 'since Sikhs and Buddhists were declared minorities under section 2 ©
of the NCM Act, same analogy was extended to Jains'.
"How can
any community be considered minority only on the basis that it does not believe
in trinity of Hinduism or it does not have caste system? This is against
secular sentiments. There should be some numerical basis for declaring a
community as minority or majority" Guar said.
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