Protection of Interests of Minorities

Introduction

Religion has a significant impact on the culture of a country like India. Indians celebrate the prominent occasions of every religion,there is a significant population of minorities residing in india These statistics make the people following other religions minorities. Every citizen needs to be aware of their right to the holistic development of a nation. 

Every regional and state polity in India undertakes the protection of interests of minorities to ensure that the religious and linguistic minorities are capable of understanding and enjoying their rights as citizens of India. The state undertakes various actions based on the location and the cultural beliefs of the minorities to ensure this.

Definitions of Minorities According to the Indian Constitution

The Constitution of India does not provide any specific definition of minority. It is a legislative term used to describe smaller communities with specific religious beliefs or speak in specific languages. The law has termed these communities as religious minorities and linguistic minorities, respectively.

India has a wide variety of languages, and there are numerous linguistic minorities in every state. People following six religious beliefs in India have acquired the status of religious minorities. The six religions are Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Parsi. Each of these minority groups has its unique culture and religious activities. Under Indian Constitution, the Act of protection of interests of minorities allow every member of the community to enjoy their rights as a citizen of India.

Protection of Interests of Minorities

Article 29 of the Constitution of India is dedicated to protecting the interests of minorities in India. Article 29 announces that any numerically inferior group of citizens of India has the right to practice and conserve their distinct culture, language, or script. The Article also criminalises any act of discrimination against a minor culture, language, religion, caste, or race. 

Only religious and linguistic minorities are mentioned and protected in the Constitution of India, and article 29 protects both of these minorities. It is the responsibility of the Indian Judiciary to protect and promote minorities’ rights as a leading administrative polity. The Judiciary system takes landmark actions to protect these rights when any minority finds itself in a disadvantageous position. The Indian Constitution counts this responsibility as a crucial part of the Democratic structure in the nation.

5 Reasons for Protecting Minority Interest 

The main 5 reasons for protecting minority interest are –

• India is a nation of diverse cultures and communities. Discrimination against one or more minorities and forced assimilation may result in the loss of rich and historical cultures, languages and religions that have carried their legacy in India for centuries. 
• The culturally diverse identity of distinct Indian communities can only be upheld by ensuring the protection of interests of minorities. 
• Indian social practices involve a tolerant and all-inclusive attitude towards every culture and religion. Discrimination and forced assimilation endanger the communities and affect the overall essence of Indian society. 
• Discrimination is the worst form of hatred. Acting against a group of people violently based on their linguistic or cultural beliefs is harmful to a person’s conscience. 
• In India’s dynamic and vibrant religious spectrum, the loss of a minor religion can cause irreversible damage to the overall society.

Ways of Protecting Minority Interest 

Indian Constitution and legislation advise the following practices as ways of protecting minority interest in public sectors and on a national level – 

• The commencement of anti-discriminatory practices in every social structure in India. 
• Both Article 29 and Articles 30 guarantee certain right to the minorities. 
  • Article 29 protects the interests of the minorities by making a provision that any citizen / section of citizens having a distinct language, script or culture have the right to conserve the same. Article 29 mandates that no discrimination would be done on the ground of religion, race, caste, language or any of them.
  • Article 30 of the Indian constitution consists of provisions that safeguard various rights of the minority community in the country keeping in mind the principle of equality as well.

Article 30(1) says that all minorities, whether based on religion or language, shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.

Article 30(1A) deals with the fixation of the amount for acquisition of property of any educational institution established by minority groups.

Article 30(2) states that the government should not discriminate against any educational institution on the ground that it is under the management of a minority, whether based on religion or language, while giving aid

• Provision of equal rights to every citizen of India regardless of their caste, race, religion, language, script, or other socio-cultural factors. 
• Reservation of a certain number of seats in the parliament and every government polity at every level of the federal structure. This step is essential to ensure the proper participation and representation of every culture and religion on the national platforms. 
• Reservations in education and job sectors to help the oppressed and backward minorities get back in the mainstream.

Our Responsibility as Citizens of India

There are more than the mentioned 5 reasons for protecting minority interest. Protecting the minorities of a country is not only a legal but also a moral obligation. Every citizen needs to protect the interests of those struggling to exist in a nation due to numerical inferiority. It is also crucial to take strict actions against those practising discrimination against the rightful citizens of our nation.

The proper acknowledgement and practice of Article 29 are many ways of protecting minority interest in India. It is a social responsibility of every citizen to let every fellow citizen practice their rights to conserve their culture without any discrimination or intolerance. Responsible citizens of India also must report any discrimination they witness in their society or workplace against any minorities to the judicial system.

Conclusion

India is a culturally diverse country, and the nation nests communities of every religion and culture without any discrimination. Every citizen of India has equal rights to live and freedom to practice and conserve their culture, script, religion, and language. 

Discrimination harms the lives of minorities and tarnishes the glorious legacy followed by the nation since the dawn of time. It is essential to understand the minority rights and protect their interest to help them live a well-deserved life of peace and prosperity in their nation.