Hindus not a minority in Jammu and Kashmir, state tells SC

The Hindus are not recognised as a minority in Jammu and Kashmir and the state government goes by the Centre's list of minorities. This was submitted by the PDP-BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir in an affidavit before the Supreme Court.

The benefits of Central schemes would only be extended to "meritorious" and "needy" members of those communities that are notified by the Centre, suggesting that members of the Hindu committee would not be eligible.

Referring to a Central Government notification of 1993 that lists Muslims as minorities, the affidavit said that the benefits flowing out of the scheme prepared by the Central government are targeted to the needy and meritorious beneficiaries of the minority community as notified by the Centre for Jammu and Kashmir, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Punjab and Lakshwadeep.

The other minority groups, as per the document, are Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists and Zoroastrians. In 2014, the Jain community was added to this list.

The affidavit also stated that In case the notified minority is the majority in a state, the benefits are to be earmarked to other notified minorities for the purpose of fixing physical and financial targets.

The affidavit was filed in response to a petition in which it was sought to declare Hindus as a minority community in Jammu and Kashmir and seven other states.

OneIndia News