Explained: How the minority card plays in Punjab

When was the issue of Hindus being in minority in Punjab raised prominently last time?

Dayanand Anglo Vedic (DAV) College, Jalandhar, had pleaded that the college should not be affiliated to Guru Nanak Dev University which was established in 1969 by an Act after 1966 Reorganization when Punjab and Haryana were made separate states. The Supreme Court while acting on the petition had, however, noted that it was the state government’s prerogative to affiliate any college to a university as it dismissed a clutch of 14 petitions in 1971. DAV College institutions had, in as many as 14 petitions taken together, pleaded that Hindus were in minority in Punjab and, hence, needed to be accorded “minority status”. The DAV College Jalandhar wanted to remain affiliated with the Panjab University as per the earlier arrangement before the Reorganization. The Supreme Court, however, pointed out that it was the state’s prerogative to decide on affiliation of the colleges.

What the legal luminaries say?

According to Additional solicitor general Chandigarh and former BJP MP Satya Pal Jain, the definition of minorities varies from state to state depending upon the quantum of population of a particular religion or community. Jain said that apart from a petition from DAV College Jalandhar and two other institutions – one each in Jalandhar and Pathankot – had moved court on the issue of minority status of Hindus in Punjab and the court had ruled that Hindus were in minority in Punjab. Jain said he does not recollect any other instances where the issue of seeking minority status for the Hindus was raised in Punjab, or the courts were approached on the issue.

A former Advocate General of Punjab, who didn’t wish to be named, said that the issue of seeking minority status for Hindus was raised in the past time to time but did not reach a flashpoint.

How did Punjab politicians react to the development?

Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar who hit headlines with his remarks that he was not considered as CM face of the party being a Hindu, told The Indian Express that Punjab was one of the most secular states. “My father contested from Rajasthan in 1984. When we went to Sikar in 1984, I was kind of flabbergasted. They don’t ask your name but ask your caste. Ke naam hai (What is your name), they asked.

When I said Sunil, they said, “Naam nahi jaat bata (Don’t tell name but your caste). They are so entrenched into this caste system. They have hostels named as Rajput hostel, Jaat hostel and Dalit hostel etc. It is Punjab’s secular fabric that makes it unique and egalitarian. Even after terrorism era which was fuelled by pro-Khalistan elements, this kind of differentiation on caste and religion never existed.”

Jakhar also flayed projection of former CM Charanjit Singh Channi’s projection as Dalit face of the party in the run up to Punjab elections.

SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said that there had never been any potent demand to declare Hindus as minority community in the state. “Minorities used to be decided at the national level. Primarily, they have been Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jain, Parsis and Christians. It is not right to decide on minorities at the state level.”

BJP leader KD Bhandari said, “Punjab is liberal” and hence there was no such demand to seek minority status for the Hindu community.

What is the percentage of composition of population based in religion in Punjab?

As per the 2011 Census, Sikhs are in majority in Punjab with 57.69% of population, followed by the Hindus (38.49%), Muslims (1.93%) and Christians (1.26%).

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