Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ashwini Upadhyaya plea which was rejected by Supreme Court's bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi has taken another twist.
As the apex court directed him to approach the minorities’ commission he did the same and his efforts are now taking shape into a revolutionary step.
The National Commission for Minorities has constituted a three member committee to look into the matter and the panel will be led by the commission’s Vice Chairman George Kurien.
The committee is expected to submit its report in three months.
The committee is expected to submit its report in three months.
What was Ashwini Upadhyaya Plea?
Ashwini Upadhyaya filed a petition in Supreme Court demanding minority status for Hindus in eight states of India where the population of Hindus is less than 40%. His petition was rejected and he was asked to go to The National Commission for Minorities.
According to Upadhyaya
According to Upadhyaya
"The rights of Hindus in these regions are being taken away “illegally and arbitrarily” because neither the Centre nor the states had notified them as a minority group under the National Commission of Minorities Act"
Background of Petition
According to 2011 Census, Hindus are in monitory in eight states —Lakshadweep (2.5%), Mizoram (2.75%), Nagaland (8.75%), Meghalaya (11.53%), J&K (28.44%), Arunachal Pradesh (29%), Manipur (31.39%) and Punjab (38.40%)
But in these states, Hindu were not given minority status. Other communities with majority have been relishing the minority status. This thing was pointed out by Upadhyaya in his petition.
Other Things to be Noted from PIL of Upadhayaya
- The Union Government offered 20,000 scholarships in field of technical education for minority students. In J&K, Muslims are 68.30% and government allotted 717 out of 753 scholarships to Muslim students, but none to Hindu students
- Muslims are majority in Lakshdweep(96.20%) and Jammu & Kashmir (68.30%), and there is significant Muslim population in Assam (34.20%), West Bengal (27.5%), Kerala (26.60%), Uttar Pradesh(19.30%) and Bihar (18%).
