NEW DELHI, June 12, 2009, 10.00 Hrs (Fr. Anand Muttungal):

The twenty percentage population of the country, namely major minority communities are not sufficiently represented in the decision making elected bodies in the country. The UPA Government found out through a survey that there are 69 districts in the country which are dominated by the minorities. It does not include the North East and JK. We must ask for a constitutional amendment along with the Women’s Reservation Bill to include the minority community into the reservation. It would be nothing new but revocation of the Right, the Minority communities had till the New Constitution of India was approved by the Independent Indian Parliament. It is right time that we ask for our rights to have sufficient representation in the elected bodies including the Parliament. The minorities are represented only from a few pockets in the country.

In the case of India people are very much divided over their religion and caste. So in many cases the minority candidate from the political parties does not get elected. The voting is polarized along majority-minority lines. Therefore only if separate seats are reserved for this minority group, or if special constituencies are drawn for the group, will minority voters succeed in electing minority representatives.

As per the Constitutional provision ‘A certain number of parliamentary constituencies in each state are reserved for members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes based on their proportion of the total state population. In reserved constituencies, only candidates from these communities can stand for election. These reserved constituencies shift from one election to the next. In total, there are 79 parliamentary seats reserved for scheduled Castes, and 41 seats for Scheduled Tribes.’ Thus all such communities are represented.

In the case of SC and ST seats are reserved according to their share of population in the state. They are sure to get elected. All political parties need to think in this lines to have an inclusive decision making process. They must make constitutional provisions to include the Minorities after the lines of SC and ST formula in the Indian Constitution.

When the constitution was drafted the SC and ST had a strong united voice under the leadership of Dr. Ambedkar. They withstood the strong wave of protests from all corners. They bargained for it as a price for the humiliation suffered for many centuries. The second biggest minority community is not united in its political agenda.

The Christian minority group is not geographically concentrated in most of the constituencies. As a result major political parties do not see any vote bank in them. They are being neglected. The Muslims being the biggest minority community it is being pampered by all major political parties. They are given many welfare schemes, Haj subsidies, aid to Madrasas, etc. The Babari Masjid demolition and the nationwide communal riots have united them. They influence all major political parties.

We have some countries that made such special provisions to ensure that racial, ethnic, or religious minorities are represented in the legislature. Examples of these countries include Croatia, Fiji, India, (SC and ST), Mauritius, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Palestinian Territories, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, and the United States. India need to include minority community to have an inclusive decision making elected bodies.

Till the new constitution withdrew the provisions made in the1909 and 1919 amendments in the constitution of the pre-independent India, the Muslims, Sikhs, Indian Christians etc. were given almost equal number of seats. This put them with equal footing with the majority community. The constitution guarantees sufficient representation to SC, ST and now to the Women. Ever since independence all the political parties stand together in isolating the Minority community from the decision making process of Democracy. The minority community must ask for their right to have sufficient representation. Let us hope that our minority leadership wakes up to the need of the hour. Only this can put an end to political isolation and mindless attacks.