BJP in Punjab demands constitutional review of minority status for Muslims

Amritsar: Following communal tension in Jalandhar, the Punjab BJP has demanded a constitutional review of the minority status granted to the Muslims at the national level.

Punjab BJP spokesperson Sarchand Singh Khiala on Saturday said the Muslim community in India today enjoyed an influential demographic and political position and could no longer be considered a minority.

"The criteria for minority recognition should be determined state-wise rather than nationally," he said, adding that the reservations considered on the basis of economy were justified.

Notably, an altercation occurred between a Hindu youth and Muslim protesters, who had gathered to submit a memorandum to the administration over the arrests linked to the ‘I Love Muhammad' campaign in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, here Friday evening. Later, local BJP leaders and other Hindu groups launched a protest and staged a dharna at the busy BMC Chowk, demanding the registration of a case.

While refusing to make a direct comment on the Jalandhar issue, Sarchand said in a multi-religious and multicultural country like India, the definition of minority could not remain static.

"The Muslim community no longer fits the category of a ‘minority', as its population now exceeds 200 million, nearly 16-17% of India's total population. In states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, and Jammu & Kashmir, Muslims hold decisive influence. Granting them minority privileges is inconsistent with the principle of social justice," he said.

Citing the Economic Advisory Council's report presented to the Prime Minister, Khiala noted that the Muslim population share in India grew from 9.84% in 1950 to 14.09% in 2015 — an increase of 43.15%, while the Hindu population fell from 84.68% to 78.06% during the same period.

The govt informed Parliament in 2023 that the Muslim population exceeded 197.5 million, and is likely to have surpassed 200 million by now. In comparison, the Sikhs constitute only 1.85%, Christians 2.36%, Buddhists 0.81%, Jains 0.36%, and Parsis merely 0.004% of India's population, Khiala highlighted.

The Punjab BJP spokesperson said the central govt should revoke the Muslim minority status at the national level, ensuring that real minorities — Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians, and Parsis — receive stronger protection for their cultural, religious, educational, and economic rights.

He further pointed out that despite a 1% decline in the Muslim Total Fertility Rate (TFR) between 2005-06 and 2020-21, the overall Muslim population continued to grow rapidly due to factors like illegal immigration, refugee influx, and religious conversions — which were gradually altering India's demographic balance, posing a challenge to national unity and integrity.

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