Minority panel slams Gujarat conversion Act

The Minorities Commission today said such clubbing was 8220;unacceptable8221;. The Commission says as per the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 and the subsequent notification in 1993, Buddhists are a religious minority in the country along with Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and Parsis. 8220;The Gujarat Bill violates the existing law in the country. You can8217;t have such legislation in some region that runs against a national Act and notification of the Centre. We have decided to intimate the Gujarat Government about the same,8221; Hamid Ansari, National Commission for Minorities chairman told The Indian Express.

8220;Buddhism is an independent religion. It8217;s more than 2,000 years old in its independent identity, and clubbing it with Hinduism is unacceptable to us,8221; Buddhist member of the Commission, Lama Chosphel Zotpa, said.

The Congress, meanwhile, said the amendment was a 8220;double assault8221; on the Constitution. Party spokesperson Satyavrat Chaturvedi said the action of the Gujarat government is in line with the RSS line of 8220;intimidating minorities8221;.