Jammu & Kashmir

Hindus are not a minority in Muslim majority JK, says BJP

Party says Hindus anywhere in India belong to majority community

Srinagar: Day after the Jammu and Kashmir government filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court, stating that the Hindus living in the state aren’t a minority, the BJP has seconded government’s stance.

The party’s general secretary, Ashok Koul said that the Hindus living in the state of Jammu and Kashmir aren’t a minority community at all and that it considers itself a majority.

“The BJP’s stand is clear in this regard; hindus aren’t a minority anywhere in Indian including Jammu and Kashmir. I am a citizen of India and I consider myself a part of the majority community. It should be clear that Hindus in the state of Jammu and Kashmir do not belong to any minority community,” Koul said.

In an affidavit filed with the Supreme Court, the Jammu & Kashmir government on Tuesday conveyed that the state doesn’t acknowledge Hindus as a “minority.”

The government stated that it goes by the national list on minorities formulated by the Center which does not mention Hindus.
It added that Hindus are hence exempt from welfare schemes intended for minority communities.

Earlier, a petition was filed by Jammu-based lawyer, Ankur Sharma. The petition had asked SC to direct the J&K government to set up a state-level minority commission.

In response to the petition, the SC had earlier set up a committee to look into minorities’ problems in J&K. The next hearing is scheduled to be held on January 2018.

 

(With inputs from KNS)

Click to comment
To Top