Chandigarh: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Punjab unit has urged the central government to review the constitutional minority status of Muslims, calling it outdated and inconsistent with present demographics. Party leaders raised the demand during a meeting in Chandigarh, arguing that minority status should be defined at the state level rather than nationally.
Leaders pointed to states like Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal, and Kerala, where Muslims make up a large part of the population. They claimed that continued benefits under minority status lead to what they described as “reverse discrimination” against Hindus. The Punjab BJP said it would formally request the Law Commission and a parliamentary committee to examine the issue.
The proposal has triggered sharp criticism from opposition parties, minority organisations, and constitutional experts. They warned that any dilution of minority safeguards could undermine Articles 29 and 30 of the Constitution, which protect the cultural and educational rights of minorities.
Legal scholars also noted that the Supreme Court had earlier observed the need to revisit minority definitions but had left it to the government to decide through a structured review. Minority rights advocates say that revising status based on state population could erode national protections and deepen social divisions.
Observers believe the BJP’s demand reflects a larger political strategy to reframe constitutional categories through the lens of state demographics, raising questions about federal balance and religious equity in India’s legal framework.
