How to uplift the Minorities in India?

1. Introduction

The minorities, who constitute 145.31 million (17.17 per cent), as per 1991 census, represent Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Zorastrians communities. While the Muslim are mainly concentrated in J and K, Lakshwadeep, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the Christians predominantly inhabit in the North-Eastern states of Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Manipur besides Goa, Andaman and Nicobars and Daman and Diu.

The Sikhs are mainly found in Northern states of Punjab, Haryana and UTs of Delhi and Chandigarh. The Buddhist population is mainly found in Sikkim, Maharashtra, West-Bengal, J and K and Himachal Pradesh. Although Zorastrians are numerically negligible, they are found in sizeable numbers in Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal, and Andhra Pradesh, besides Delhi and Daman and Diu.

2. Constitution of India and Minorities

Article 15 Prohibition of Discrimination on Grounds of Religion, Race, Caste, Sex or Place of birth

Article 16 Equality of Opportunity in matters of Public Employment

Article 25 Freedom of Conscience and Free Profession, Practise and Propagation of Religion.

Article 26 Freedom to Manage Religious Affairs

Article 27 Freedom as to Payment of Taxes or Promo­tion of any Particular Religion.

Article 28 Freedom as to Attendance at Religious In­struction or Religious Worship in certain Educational Institutions.

Article 29 Protection of Interest of Minorities

Article 30 Rights of Minorities to Establish and Admin­ister Educational Institutions

Article 347 Special Provision Relating to Language Spo­ken by a Section of the Population of a State

Article 50 Language to be used in Representations for Redress of Grievances

Article 350A Facilities for Instructions in Mother-Tongue at Primary Stage.

Article 350B Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities.

3. Minorities Commission

To evaluate the working of the various safeguards in the Constitution for the protection of religious minorities and to make recommendations to ensure effective imple­mentation and enforcement of all the safeguards and laws a Minorities Commission was set up in January 1978.

The Commission reviews the implementation of the policies of the Union and the State Governments towards minorities and submits annual reports to the Government the Na­tional Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 has been passed by the Parliament. Under this Act, the National Commis­sion for Minorities has been constituted with statutory status replacing the erstwhile Commission. So far 12 reports have been laid on table of both the Houses of Parliament.

4. Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities

The Commissioner appointed under Article 350B of the Constitution investigate all matters relating to the safe­guards provided for linguistic minorities. He looks into representation and complaints received from various asso­ciations and individuals belonging to linguistic minorities.

5. 15 Point Programme

It has the objective of securing life and property of minorities and for providing special consideration for minorities in public employment and ensuring non-discrimi­nation in development programmes and grant of financial benefits.

6. National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation

The Government has set up a National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation with an authorized share capital of Rs. 500 crore to provide economic and development activities for the benefit of backward sections among the minorities.

7. WAKFs

Wakf Act, 1995: Administration of Central Legislation for Wakfs is the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. In order to further strengthen the administration of Wakfs a fresh piece of legislation was passed by Parliament and enacted during 1995, known as Wakf Act, 1995. With its enforcement in the country with effect from 1 January, 1996 the earlier Central Laws on Wakf, i.e. Wakf Act 1954 and the Wakf (Amendment) Act, 1984 stand repealed. The Wakf Act, 1995, extends to the whole of the country except J and K. Central Wakf Council has been re-constituted on 26 June 1997 under the provisions of the Wakf Act, 1995.

8. Dargah Khwaja Saheb

Dargah of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti at Ajmer is governed by the Dargah Khwaja Saheb Act, 1995. This endowment is managed by a centrally appointed Committee known as Dargah Committee which is assisted by an officer called Nazim.

9. Maulana Azad Education Foundation

It was set up as a society with the objective of promoting education amongst the educationally backward sections of the society, minorities in particular and others in general. The government is giving grants-in-aid to the Foundation for building up a ‘Corpus Fund’ for financing in different activities.

10. Five-Year Plan

There will be a special focus on Education. The existing scheme of Maulana Azad Education Foundation, New Delhi will be further strengthened and supported. Educational backwardness, especially among Muslim women and girl children will be addressed on a priority basis in the Five-Year Plan. Modernization of Madrasas will be looked into.

In order to promote higher and technical education among the minorities, support will be provided in the form of scholarships/fellowships. Expansion of Multi-Sectoral Developmental Plans and Pre-examination Coaching Cen­tres in the Minority concentrated Districts will be taken to extend the much needed support to the students studying in the secondary and post-matric classes; and conservation and promotion of the languages and culture of the minori­ties etc. with effective involvement of the NGOs.