New DelhiDecember 3, 2025 04:34 PM IST
First revealed on: Dec 3, 2025 at 04:34 PM IST
The BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar, Bhim Singh, via a particular point out within the Home Monday, expressed concern over the present definition of “minority” within the nation and spoke about “inequalities” arising from it.
In an interview with The Indian Specific, he talks concerning the want for the federal government to determine minority id on the premise of the state-wise or district-wise inhabitants ratio, and the way he plans to push this challenge. Excerpts:
* What was your place over the definition of “minority” in your Rajya Sabha speech?
The phrase minority has been utilized in our Structure however not outlined. As per the Nationwide Fee for Minorities Act of 1992, underneath which the Centre decides who’s a minority, there are six such communities — Muslims, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains, Christians and Buddhists. However there are examples the place communities thought of to be minorities on the nationwide stage have reached a majority place in states.
* You stated the willpower of minorities is predicated on the proportion of the inhabitants on the nationwide stage, whereas the state of affairs is completely different in lots of states. How do you say that?
Let’s take a look at this via an instance. As per the 2011 Census, there may be 14.2% Muslim inhabitants within the nation and that could be a huge quantity, nonetheless they’re thought of as minority since they’re subsequent solely to the bulk neighborhood. A number of states (and Union Territories) in India are Muslim-majority, exceeding 50% of its inhabitants — Lakshadweep at 96% and Jammu and Kashmir at 69%. In Assam it’s 34%, West Bengal 27% and Kerala 26%. That is means above the nationwide share of 14.2%. In Kashmir, as an example, Hindus are a minority, however usually are not getting any benefit of minority welfare schemes. Is that this honest?
* So, your rivalry is that one neighborhood must be excluded from the definition of minority?
Not right to say that. Even the Christian neighborhood — with a nationwide inhabitants of two.3% — just isn’t a minority in a number of states. For example, Christians are 88% of the inhabitants in Nagaland, 87% in Mizoram, 42% in Manipur, 30% in Arunachal Pradesh and 25% in Goa, as per the 2011 Census. So is it right to have a sweeping nationwide definition of a minority and prolong them the advantages of varied social sector and welfare schemes?
* You’re implying that the advantages of the Centre’s minority welfare schemes are reaching these communities that don’t really face deprivations?
Sure. And alternatively, communities which might be genuinely weak and deprived in a state or district stay exterior the purview of presidency help, and this impacts the equitable distribution of sources. State-specific realities positively must be taken under consideration.
I’d say even district-wise information must be thought of since states themselves additionally roll out a number of such schemes, for which district-wise information could also be useful. In Bihar, as an example, Muslim neighborhood includes 17% of the state’s inhabitants, whereas in about eight districts — akin to Kishanganj, Katihar, Araria and Purnia — they’re someplace between 39% and 68%.
* Are you planning to take this up additional with the federal government? How?
I urge the Central authorities to conduct a complete assessment on this topic and usher in a coverage that provides precedence to genuinely deprived communities. I’m planning to quickly write to the Ministry of Minority Affairs on this regard. I wish to say that in any given area, both the native inhabitants composition be taken under consideration to determine who’s minority and who just isn’t, or else, the nationwide definition ought to contemplate solely these as minorities in India who’re beneath 2% of the inhabitants — akin to Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis.
