The National Minorities Rights Day is observed on December 18 in India to focus on the importance of the rights of religious minorities and the safeguard of their Constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms. India is among the world’s most diverse countries and also the birthplace of four major religions.

    • In 1992, the United Nations adopted the Statement on the Individual's Rights belonging to religious, linguistic or ethnic minorities and the same year the National Commission for Minorities was set up by the Government of India.

    • The National Minorities Rights Day is an occasion to educate people on the importance of religious freedom and harmony and the rights of minorities.

    • The National Commission for Minorities while celebrating the "Minorities Day", felicitated 12 covid warriors from all the six notified minority communities in appreciation of their exemplary contribution to the society during pandemic.

    • The Constitution of India provides for the right to freedom of religion under Articles 25 to 28. 

    • That every person has the right and freedom to choose and practice his or her religion and forbids any form of discrimination or persecution on the basis of religious affiliation.

    • Constitutional provisions for minorities include:

    a. "Prohibition of discrimination against citizens on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth"

    b. "Citizens' right to 'equality of opportunity' in employment and prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth"

    c. "People's freedom of conscience and right to freely profess, practise and propagate religion - subject to public order, morality and other Fundamental Rights"

    d. "Right of all religious and linguistic minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice"

    e. "Freedom of minority-managed educational institutions from discrimination in the matter of receiving aid from the State".

    • According to the 2011 Census data, minorities constitute 19.30% (23.37 crore) of India’s population. These include Muslims (14.2%), Christians (2.3%), Sikhs (1.3%), Buddhists (0.7%), Jains (0.4%) and Parsis.

National Minorities Commission

On December 18, 1992, the United Nations adopted the Statement on the Individual’s Rights belonging to religious or linguistic, national, or ethnic minorities. It highlighted that the religious, linguistic, cultural, and national identity of minorities shall be respected, preserved, and protected by the nations and within individual territories.

The same year, the Union Government set up the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) under the National Commission for Minorities Act.

Initially five religious communities, viz., Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis) were notified as minority communities by the government. In 2014, Jains were also notified as another minority community.

Functions of NCM

    a. evaluation of the progress of the development of minorities under the Union and States;

    b. monitoring of the working of the safeguards for minorities provided in the Constitution and in laws enacted by Parliament and the State Legislatures;

    c. making recommendations for the effective implementation of safeguards for the protection of the interests of minorities by the Central Government or the State Governments;

    d. looking into specific complaints regarding deprivation of rights and safeguards of minorities and taking up such matters with the appropriate authorities;

    e. getting studies to be undertaken into the problems arising out of any discrimination against minorities and recommending measures for their removal;

    f. conducting studies, research and analysis on the issues relating to socio-economic and educational development of minorities;

    g. suggesting appropriate measures in respect of any minority to be undertaken by the Central Government or the State Governments;

    h. making periodical or special reports to the Central Government or any matter pertaining to minorities and in particular the difficulties confronted by them.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants. The views expressed here are personal.)