Listing of Hindus as minorities, Centre tells SC that states considered opinion awaited

The Central government informed the Supreme Court on Monday that it held meetings with the states like Nagaland, Punjab, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, UP, and UTs like J&K and Ladakh regarding the listing of Hindus as minorities.

New Delhi: The Central government informed the Supreme Court on Monday that it had held meetings with the states like Nagaland, Punjab, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, UP, and UTs like J&K and Ladakh regarding the listing of Hindus as minorities besides inputs from Home ministry Law Ministry, Education Ministry and National Commission for Minorities and National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions were also taken.

"The said state governments and union territories and other stakeholders requested for some more time as they needed to have wider consultations with all the stakeholders before they form their considered opinion in the matter considering the far-reaching implications of the issue involved," read the affidavit submitted by the Centre in response to a plea seeking listing of Hindus as minorities.

The Centre said that it had requested the state governments and the UTs should expeditiously undertake the exercise with stakeholders to ensure that view of the states is finalised and conveyed to the Ministry of Minority Affairs at the earliest.

Of all the states mentioned by the Centre, Punjab, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Ladakh have shared their views regarding the matter. Whereas, UTs of Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and J&K and states like Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and UP are yet to furnish their views. The Centre said that it has planned to hold meetings in the ensuing weeks in order to have views of all the states and UTs involved in the matter.