Sikhs notified as minority in AP and Karnataka | Latest News Delhi - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Sikhs notified as minority in AP and Karnataka

PTI | By, New Delhi
Apr 08, 2008 07:58 PM IST

The move will enable Sikhs in these states to avail the benefits granted under the Prime Minister's new 15-point programme for the welfare of minority groups.

In a significant development, the state governments of Andhra Pradesh and Karnakata have notified Sikhs as a minority community.

HT Image
HT Image

The move will enable Sikhs in these states to avail the benefits granted under the Prime Minister's new 15-point programme for the welfare of minority groups.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

"The National Commission for Minorities recently got a letter from the governments of both these states that Sikhs have been designated as minority groups," member of the Commission Harcharan Singh Josh said.

This will enable the Sikhs in these states to also avail Rs two-and-a-half million worth scholarships for minority students in class X and XII.

"The issue had been under deliberation with both Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh for more than a year," Josh said.

Under the National Commission for Minorities Act of 1992, five religious communities namely Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Zoroastrians and Buddhists were notified as minority communities.

As per the 2001 census, these five religious minority communities constituted 18.42 per cent of the country's population.

In line of the Act, the state governments were expected to notify the said religious groups as minorities.

"But not all the state governments granted minority status to these religious groups. Thus the commission considers the development in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh as heartening," he said.

Recently the Supreme Court had ruled Sikhs not to be a minority in Punjab.

Unveiling 'Elections 2024: The Big Picture', a fresh segment in HT's talk show 'The Interview with Kumkum Chadha', where leaders across the political spectrum discuss the upcoming general elections. Watch now!
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 29, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On