HC notice to Centre on minority status based on states' population

New Delhi, Feb 28 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre on a petition seeking a direction to frame guidelines for the identification of the term "minority" at the state level.Chief Justice D.N. Patel and C. Harishankar sought response on the plea filed by Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking a direction to define the word 'minority' and insisting on framing guidelines to accord the minority status based on population of every state of a particular community.The matter will be heard next on May 4.The plea cited Census of 2011 which states that Hindus are merely one per cent in Laddakh, 2.75 per cent in Mizoram, 2.77 per cent in Lakshdweep, 4 per cent in Kashmir, 8.74 per cent in Nagaland, 11.52 per cent in Meghalaya, 29 per cent in Arunachal Pradesh, 38.49 per cent in Punjab and 41.29 per cent in Manipur."But, their minority rights are being siphoned illegally and arbitrarily to the majority population because neither the Centre nor the respective state has notified them as a 'minority' under Section 2 (c) of the National Commission of Minorities Act."Thus, Hindus are being deprived of their basic rights, guaranteed under Article 30," the plea said.
--IANS aka/prs