AUGUST 12, 2013 (MONDAY) "CONDITIONS FOR DECLARATION OF MINORITIES" The Constitution of India used the word ‘minorities’ or its plural form in some Article 29 to 30 and 350 A to 350 B- But does not define it anywhere. Article 29 has the word “minorities” in its marginal heading but speaks of “any section of citizens having a distinct language, script or culture”. This may be a whole community generally seen as a minority or group within a majority community. Article 30 speaks specifically of two categories of minorities- religious and linguistic. The remaining two articles – 350 A & 350 B relate to linguistic minorities only. As per caluse (c) of Section 2 of the National Commission for Minorities Act. 1992, five communities vide Ministry of Welfare notification dated 23rd October, 1993 are declared as minority communities viz.- Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis). The UN Commission on Human Rights in its 55th Session of working Group on Minorities on 12th to 16th May 2003 in Geneva has raised the socio-economic deprivation of Muslims in India. The Working Group had pointed out that Muslims in India are lagging behind in education, employment, representation in public bodies, Parliament and state legislatures and other socio-economic aspects. The Working Group had also suggested some of the solutions for the prevailing ills among the Muslim Community.
Posted on: Mon, 12 Aug 2013 17:58:46 +0000