Minorities 1-2

Source. National Commission for religious and linguistic minorities 2007.

Constitution uses the word minority in articles 29, 30, 350A and 350B but does not define it. Article 30 specifically speaks of two categories of minorities that is religious and linguistic. Articles 350 a and b relate to linguistic minorities only.

minority as. non dominant groups in a population which prossess of wish to preserve stable ethnic religious and linguistic traditions or characteristics markedly different from those of the rest of population. UN 1946.
TMA pai case. Supreme Court held that for the purpose of article 30, linguistic or religious minority, is determined with reference to a state not the country as a whole. There for scheduled castes and Scheduled Tribes are also identified under the state level.
Still, At National level Muslims are the largest minority followed by Christian and sikhs.

Muslims are majority in Jammu and Kashmir and Lakshadweep.
Christians are majority in Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland.
Sikh people are majority in Punjab.

There is no minority status at National level in linguistic terms. They are decided at state level.
The constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion, gender, place of birth and so on. But it also allows positive discrimination for socially and educationally backward groups. article 46 mandates the state to promote education and economic interest of weaker sections.
constitution empowers the president under article 342. Commission to investigate the conditions of socially and educationally backward classes but it did not make it mandatory.

Constitutional safeguards for minorities.

25. Freedom of conscience and profession and propagation of religion.
26. Manage religious affairs
27. Freedom from paying taxes to promote any particular religion.
28. Attend religious instruction or worship in educational institutions.
29. Any institution and minorities can preserve their language, culture and script. No one can be denied admission in street supported education institutions.
Article 30. Right to minorities to establish and administer educational institutions.
347. Special provisions relating to language spoken by a section of population of a state.
350. Language to be used for presentations for the dress of grievances.
350 A. Instruction in mother tongue at primary stage.
350 B linguistic minorities special officer.

Legal safeguards

No specific law exists for minorities to safeguard them from atrocities. Protection of civil rights applies to scheduled castes are tribes who convert to different religions like Christianity and Islam. But even that is not properly applied.
National Commission for minorities act exists in 1993

Evaluate progress of development of minorities under Union and States
Monitor the safeguards in constitution and laws enacted by Parliament and state.
Recommendations for safeguards implementation.
Specific complaints, conduct studies, research, make reports.

Constitution bill 103 Amendment Bill was introduced to give the minority commission a special status. But the bill was introduced in 2004 and in the back burner now.
national commission for minority educational institutions Act was also enacted to create a Commission to advise Central and state governments on matters relating to education of minorities and prevent violation of the right. It also helps them establish and administer educational institutions.

Profile

Central government has declared 6 minorities namely Muslims Christians Sikh Buddhist zoroastrians and Jains. however states are free to recognise other minorities. Jain people are recognised as religious minorities in many states. The matter of including Jain as minority is contentious. Matter pending.

Population. Census 2001. Muslims are 13.4 percent. Christians 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, Buddhist 0.8%, zoroastrians 0.00 7%. Jain 0.4%

At National level Muslims are the largest minority followed by Christian and sikhs.

Muslims are majority in Jammu and Kashmir and Lakshadweep.
Christians are majority in Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland.
Sikh people are majority in Punjab

Muslims are more organised and Hindus and Sikhs. Christian Buddhist and Jain also urban.
Sex ratio among Christians is 1009, among the Sikhs 893, Buddhist 953, Jan 940 Muslims 936. But marginally improving.
elder population among the Jain and Sikh is high but lowest among the Muslims. So Muslims have low life expectancy. Mainly due to their social economic condition.

marriage of men below the age of 21 is 47% among Muslims 39% among buddhists where as 26% among Jain, 20% among Christians and 13% among sikh.
Average size of household is 2.75 persons among Parsi people and highest at 3.5 persons among Muslims.

Educational status.

literacy rate of Muslims is 59% 50% for women and 67% for women. Among Christians 80%, and 76% for women. Among the Sikh 70% and 63% for women. Jain 94% and 90% for women.
Maximum gender gap in literacy is among Hindus 23%, buddhists 21% and Muslims 17%.
Muslims have 3.6% graduates, Christians 8.7%, Sikh 7%, Buddhist 5.7% and Jain 21%.
religious educational institutions like madarsas, Gurukul, seminaries and monasteries impart education.

Health status

Infant mortality rate and child mortality rate.
National family health survey shows women of sikh and Jain communities are better than other religious communities.
Muslim children are undernourished as compared to other religions.
Muslim and Sikh population seek less antenatal check up and doctors then other religions. Institutional delivery is highest among the Jain where has low among Muslims, buddhists and Christians.
Child immunization

contraception is high among Sikh Jain and Buddhist and Christians. Lowest among Muslims.
Total fertility rate

Housing and related amenities

Parsi owned maximum houses and Muslims and Buddhist own the least.
Lighting in houses . Electricity versus kerosene
Drinking water supply.

Toilet facilities

Poverty and employment

Workforce participation is lowest among Jain followed by Muslims and Sikh.

Profile

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Issues

Riots and Communal tensions. Riots of 1984 and godhara
religious conversions. Recent drive of conversion.
Separatist tendency among Muslims of Kashmir and Christians of Nagaland and Mizoram. And these separatists create trouble for other people of their religion.
Political parties favour one religion over the other and spirit of secularism in India declines. This polarises communities.
Recent debate of uniform civil code also creates tensions