The Union government has decided to initiate a “wide consultation” with states and other stakeholders to review a plea whether Hindus can be granted minority status in states where their numbers are relatively less, an affidavit filed by the Union government in the Supreme Court said. The affidavit, filed on Monday, indicates a withdrawal of its previous stand on the issue.
The government said that to obviate “unintended complications for the country in future”, it is filing a fresh affidavit in supersession of its previous affidavit filed on March 27. The previous affidavit sought the dismissal of a bunch of writ petitions and defended the 1992 National Commission for Minorities (NCM) Act and the 2004 National Commission for Minorities Educational Institutions (NCMEI) Act.
The central government, under the NCM Act, has marked only six communities, including Christians, Sikhs, Muslims, Buddhists, Parsis, and Jains, as minorities at the national level.
At that time, the central government has given powers to the states and Union territories (UTs) to take a call on whether or not to grant minority status to Hindus where they are numerically less.
“After the filing of the aforesaid affidavit, the central government undertook a detailed inter-ministerial discussion based upon which it is decided to file the present affidavit in supersession of the earlier affidavit...the question involved in this writ petition has far-reaching ramifications throughout the country and, therefore, any stand taken without detailed deliberations with the stakeholders may result in an unintended complication for the country,” stated the affidavit filed through the Union ministry of home affairs.
The affidavit also underscored that the stand to be formulated by the Centre about issues raised in the batch of petitions on the issue will be finalized after having a wide consultation with the state governments and other stakeholders.
“This will ensure that the central government can place considered view before this Hon’ble Court taking into consideration several sociological and other aspects, obviating any unintended complications in future about such a vital issue,” reads the affidavit.
