5 QUESTIONS | Bhim Singh: ‘Minorities should be those below 2% of population’

So, your contention is that one community should be excluded from the definition of minority?

Not correct to say that. Even the Christian community— with a national population of 2.3%—is not a minority in several states. For instance, Christians are 88% of the population in Nagaland, 87% in Mizoram, 42% in Manipur, 30% in Arunachal Pradesh and 25% in Goa, as per 2011 Census. So is it correct to have a sweeping national definition of a minority and extend them benefits of various social sector and welfare schemes?

You are implying that benefits of the Centre’s minority welfare schemes are reaching those communities that do not actually face deprivations?

Yes. And on the other hand, communities genuinely weak and disadvantaged… remain outside the purview of government assistance… State-specific realities definitely have to be taken into account.

I would say even district-wise data should be considered since states themselves also roll out several such schemes, for which district-wise data may be helpful. In Bihar, for instance, Muslim community comprises 17% of population, whereas in about eight districts—such as Kishanganj, Katihar, Araria and Purnia—they are somewhere between 39% and 68%.

Are you planning to take this up further with the government? How?

I urge the Centre to conduct a comprehensive review and bring in a policy that gives priority to genuinely disadvantaged communities. I am planning to write to Ministry of Minority Affairs. In any given region, either local population composition be taken into account to decide who is minority or the national definition should consider only those as minorities in India who are below 2% of the population—such as Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis.