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New Dehli,
May 07, 2007: The Minority Affairs Minister, Shri A.R. Antulay has
stated in Rajya Sabha that the National Commission for Minorities (NCM)
had recommended that, as a separate religion, Jains deserve 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 view point prevailing in the community and recommended that the
Government must through its own resources ascertain the broad
consensus on this issue keeping in view all dissenting voices.
The Minister stated that as per Census 2001, the total population of Jains
is 4,225,053, which is 0.4% of the total population of the country.
The Jain community is spread through out India except in the Union
Territory of Lakshadweep.
Shri Antulay further informed that a Civil appeal was filed by Bal Patil &
Another 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 & empowerment, Government has examined the implications of the
judgment in this case and is proposing official amendments to the
constitution (One Hundred and Third amendment) Bill, 2004. The
Minister was replying to an Unstarred Question in Rajya Sabha today.
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