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Bahais demand minority status

Not enough data on their socio-economic condition, says panel.

Less than a year after the UPA government declared Jains as a minority community, the Bahai community has reignited its demand for the status. The community much like the Jains is affluent, but it asserts that the status is a matter of recognition rather than plea for help.

Bahai representatives had met Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptulla in this regard and she, it was learnt, referred the matter to the National Commission for Minorities. The matter was also taken up by the NCM in more than one meeting, but the commission felt that it did not have enough data on the socio-economic condition of the community to make a concrete recommendation. It is now for the Ministry of Minority Affairs to take a call. There are around two million Bahais in India and the community is perhaps best known for the Lotus Temple. The religion traces its roots to Iran — the birthplace of Bahaullah, its prophet.

The issue of minority status for the Bahai community in India was first raised in 2004.

The Bahais had approached the UPA government in January this year immediately after the Jain community was designated as the sixth minority. They then took the matter up with the NDA government in August. The NCM considered the demand over several meetings in September and October.

“The commission deliberated on the issue, but felt that we did not have enough data to decide either way. We had asked for more information from the community and they did submit some… But, that was not enough for the commission,” said a source in NCM.

The spokesperson for the Bahai community, meanwhile, maintains that minority status is a matter of recognition and the community is not looking for scholarships and other support from the government. “The Bahai community does not accept money from others. That is why we do not charge an entry fee at Lotus Temple where we get 16,000 visitors a day… Even Jains did not require the government support but they were granted the status,” said Nilakshi Rajkhowa, an official at the office of public affairs in the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahais.
There are around 2 million Bahais in India.

First uploaded on: 22-11-2014 at 05:00 IST

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