Q. With reference to minorities in India, consider the following statements:
1. The Constitution defines minorities as a group of people who are less than 20% of total population in India.
2. The Constitution of India gives protection to linguistic minorities by providing them right to secure their language.
3. All the members of National Commission for Minorities must be from minority community only.
How many statements given above are correct?
Exp) Option b is the correct answer.
Statement 1 is incorrect. The Constitution uses the word ’minorities’ in some articles but does not define it anywhere. The Constitution of India used the word ‘minorities or its plural form in some articles 29 to 30 and 350 A to 350 B. Article 29 has the word ‘minorities’ in its marginal heading but speaks of “any section of citizens having a distinct language script and culture”.
Statement 2 is correct. The Constitution of India gives protection to linguistic minorities by providing them right to secure their language. Article 29 provides that any section of the citizens residing in any part of India having a distinct language, script or culture of its own, shall have the right to conserve the same. It grants protection to both religious minorities as well as linguistic minorities.
Statement 3 is correct. Under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992, the government formed the National Commission for Minorities which consist of Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson and five Members. The five Members including the Chairperson shall be from amongst the minority communities. The commission monitors the working of the safeguards provided to minorities in the Constitution and in laws enacted by Parliament and the State Legislatures
