Govt. seized of demand to declare Jains as minority community

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

New Delhi, May 7 (UNI) The government today said The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) had recommended, way back in 1994-95, that as a separate religion, Jains deserved to be notified as a minority community.

However, in its Annual report for 1997-98, the NCM stated that the demand of Jains for minority status ''is one viewpoint'' prevailing in the community and recommended that the government should ascertain the broad consensus on this issue keeping in view all dissenting voices.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister A R Antulay said a civil appeal was filed in a court seeking issuance of a direction to the government to notify Jains as a minority community.

In accordance with the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment, Mr Antulay said the government had examined the implications of the judgement in this case and was proposing official amendments to the Constitution (103rd Amendment) Bill, 2004.

The minister informed that as per the 2001 Census, the total population of Jains is 4,225,053, which is 0.4 per cent of the total population of the country.

Except in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, the Jain community is spread throughout the country.

UNI

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