(a) whether there is provision to accord minority status to those communities where population is below 12% in the country and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government proposes to withdraw minority status of those communities whose population is above 12% in the country; and
(c) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor?
MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS (DR. NAJMA A. HEPTULLA)
(a) Minority Communities are declared by the Central Government under Section 2(c) of National Commission for Minorities (NCM) Act, 1992. Six Communities [viz. Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhist, Zoroastrians (Parsis) and Jains} have been declared as minorities under Section 2(c) of NCM Act, 1992 till date. There is no proposal to accord minority status to those communities where population is below 12% in the country.
(b)&(c) No proposal is under consideration by the Central Government to withdraw minority status of those communities whose population is about 12% in the country.