Despite SC disapproval, Govt set to give minority status to Jains

Despite the Supreme Court’s direction against any addition to the list of “notified minorities,” the Centre is drawing plans to give Jains the status of a religious minority.

Despite the Supreme Court’s direction against any addition to the list of “notified minorities,” the Centre is drawing plans to give Jains the status of a religious minority.

Minister for Minority Affairs, A R Antulay, who has held talks with “various Jain organisations”, told The Indian Express there was “consensus in the community” for the minority status under Section 2 (C) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.

“We want to broaden the concept of minorities by including communities like Jains and Kashmiri Pandits,” he said. The move flies in the face of a SC judgment delivered last August. A bench headed by then CJI R C Lahoti, while dismissing a plea to direct the Centre to notify Jains as a religious minority, said identification of minorities on the basis of religion would further divide the country.

jayanth.jacob@expressindia.com

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