The Ministry of Minority Affairs, in its reply, said that matters relating to the identification of Hindus as a minority within the state may be considered at the state level.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has sought a response from the Central Government in 4 weeks on the petition related to the identification of minorities. In this petition, there has been a demand to prepare guidelines for the identification of minorities at the state level, as well as the petition claims that the Hindu population is a minority in 10 states.
Now the next hearing on May 10
A bench of Justice SK Kaul and Justice MM Sundaresh fixed May 10 for the next hearing of the matter. Along with this, the Government of India has been asked to present its side on the petition of advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay.
Initially, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had sought two weeks' time from the bench saying that he had not taken note of the affidavit filed by the Ministry of Minority Affairs. In the affidavit, the ministry has told the apex court that the state governments can declare any religious or linguistic community, including Hindus, as a minority in the state concerned.
The affidavit is yet to be studied
Responding to the demand of the Solicitor General, the bench said, "The answer seems to be reflected in the newspapers." To this, Mehta said, "In the case of some PILs, the arguments reach the media even before they come before the law authorities."
The Supreme Court took note of Mehta's submission that he needed time to present the Centre's side and adjourned the matter till May 10. "The Solicitor General says that he cannot put his side on record as he has not studied the affidavit even though it has appeared in the newspapers," the bench said.
Hindu minority in 10 states?
The court said, 'The Solicitor General has sought four weeks' time. We give four weeks to the Centre. The reply will be filed after two weeks.
In the petition of BJP leader and advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, it has been said that Hindus are minorities in 10 states of the country, but instead of Hindus, local majority communities are being given the benefit of schemes related to minorities.