Question : National Minorities Commission Report

(a) whether the Government has made any effort post National Minorities Commission Report, 2008 to estimate the number of Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians living in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government recognises that non-recognition of such persons as those belonging to the Scheduled Caste category hampers them from availing the protections and benefits extended by the Constitution and other laws and schemes and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government has raised demands for the inclusion of Dalit Muslims and Christians in the Scheduled Caste Category through an amendment to the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950; and
(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS
(SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)
(a) to (e) The Decennial Population Census is conducted under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are enumerated as per the notified lists of SCs and STs, vide the Constitution (Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribe) Order, 1950, as amended from time to time. Besides, religion wise data are also collected in census and such data from Census 2011 is available on the website www.censusindia.gov.in.
Further, as per Para 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 (as amended from time to time), no person who professes a religion different from the Hindu, the Sikh or the Buddhist religion shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste.

In this matter, various Writ Petitions have been filed before the Hon''ble Supreme Court and therefore, the matter is presently sub- Judice.


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