Vedic Brahmins to get minority status?

While the government is reportedly evaluating if Vedic Brahmins could be given religious minority status, the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has expressed that it is not in favour of such a move.

The Commission has conveyed its views to the government after it asked the Commission to think about the proposal and recommend it, reported Marathi daily Loksatta.

In its 2016-17 report submitted to the Centre in July, the Commission has said that the Vedic Brahmins can't be given minority status as they are an integral part of Hindu religion.

However, the Commission has left it up to the government to decide on the issue.

The Commission also said that if the government decides to give minority status to Vedic Brahmins on the demand of the Brahmin Mahasabha or Akhil Bhartiya Brahmin Mahasabha, then the Rajput, Vaishya and other Hindu castes will also make similar demands and therefore, it is not in favour of giving them minority status.

The Union government set up the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992. Six religious communities — Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Zoroastrians (Parsis) and Jains have been notified as minority communities.