The Indian Constitution, the supreme law of the land, does not provide a concrete definition of the term “minority.” Despite this, India has a dedicated Ministry of Minority Affairs and numerous schemes to uplift so-called minority communities. The absence of a precise and universally applicable definition of “minority” has led to major discrepancies in policymaking and governance. This ambiguity, combined with religious favouritism, has become one of the root causes of communal disharmony in the country.

Lack of Definition: A Constitutional Oversight

The Constitution of India mentions the word “minority” in several places, notably in Articles 29 and 30, which provide cultural and educational rights to minorities. However, nowhere does it define who qualifies as a minority. This has led to a subjective and politically motivated interpretation of the term, resulting in a scenario where any non-Hindu community is automatically granted minority status. This lack of a mathematical and demographic basis for determining minorities has created an unjust system, where even religious communities that form a substantial portion of the population continue to receive undue benefits under the guise of minority protection.

The Supreme Court of India has, on multiple occasions, stressed the need for a clear definition of minorities. In the landmark case of T.M.A. Pai Foundation Vs. State of Karnataka (2002), the Court held that minorities should be determined at the state level rather than nationally. However, this ruling has not been implemented in policy-making, leading to continued ambiguity and favouritism.

International Standards: A Stark Contrast

Globally, the definition of a minority is based on clear numerical thresholds. Many nations use a standard criterion that considers a religious or ethnic group a minority only if it comprises 5% or less of the total population.

• United States: Religious minorities like Jews (2.4%) and Muslims (1.1%) are considered minorities because their numbers fall well below the threshold.
• France: The country follows strict secularism, where state benefits are not granted based on religion. However, religious communities with very low populations, such as Protestants (3%) and Jews (1%), are acknowledged as minorities in sociological terms.
• China: Religious groups like Christians (3%) and Tibetan Buddhists (0.4%) are classified as minorities.
• Pakistan: Hindus (1.85%) and Christians (1.59%) are legally recognized as minorities and face systematic discrimination.
• Bangladesh: The Hindu population, which has declined to around 7.5%, is still subject to systemic discrimination despite being a visible minority.

The Indian Anomaly: Who is the Real Minority?

In stark contrast to the global standard, India considers Muslims a minority, despite them forming nearly 30% of the population when including illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, Rohingyas from Myanmar, and the natural increase in the Muslim population. The Indian government has persistently granted minority benefits to Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis, despite many of these communities having significant demographic strength in certain states.

• Muslim Population in Key States:
  • Assam: 34%
  • West Bengal: 32%
  • Kerala: 26%
  • Uttar Pradesh: 20%
  • Bihar: 19%

Despite these large numbers, Muslims still receive the same minority benefits as a minuscule community like Parsis (less than 60,000 in India). This flawed approach encourages even Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) to convert to Islam, as it offers them dual benefits—reservations under SC/ST categories (in some cases) and additional minority benefits. Moreover, states like Punjab, where Sikhs form a majority (58%), still classify Sikhs as a minority, which defies logical reasoning.

The Socio-Political Consequences of Misidentifying Minorities

The misclassification of minorities has led to:

1. Communal Tensions: Special privileges granted to one religious group breed resentment among others.
2. Religious Conversions for Benefits: Many SCs and STs convert to Islam or Christianity to avail of minority benefits.
3. Vote Bank Politics: Political parties exploit minority status for electoral gains, reinforcing religious divisions.
4. Economic Disparity: Minority-specific scholarships, business loans, and other welfare schemes divert public funds from genuinely marginalized communities.
5. Demographic Imbalance: Favoritism towards larger communities under the pretence of minority status disrupts the demographic and social balance.

A Mathematical Approach to Defining Minorities in India

India must adopt a clear, quantifiable definition of “minority” based on population percentages.

1. National Threshold: Any religious group constituting more than 5% of the national population should not qualify as a minority.
2. State-Level Considerations: In states where a particular community exceeds 10% of the population, they should not be considered a minority within that state.
3. District-Level Definition: Any community forming more than 20% of the population in a district should be removed from the minority category.
4. Consistent Policy Nationwide: Minority benefits should be reassessed every decade based on census data to ensure only genuinely marginalized communities receive special provisions.

Applying this definition would mean that Muslims in states like Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, and Uttar Pradesh would no longer be eligible for minority benefits. Instead, real minorities like Parsis, Jews, and even declining Hindu communities in specific regions (such as Hindus in Kashmir) should be prioritized.

A Rational Policy to Address India’s Challenges

The failure to define “minority” objectively has led to systemic injustices in India. A mathematical definition of minorities can address several pressing issues:

• Curb Religious Conversions: Many Scheduled Caste Hindus convert to Islam or Christianity for economic benefits. By rationalizing minority benefits, religious conversion for material gains can be discouraged.
• Abolition of Regressive Laws: The existence of separate personal laws for Muslims, such as Muslim Personal Law, creates legal inequalities. A correct minority definition would make it easier to push for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), ensuring equal laws for all citizens.
• Dismantling the Waqf Board: The Waqf Board holds massive land parcels, often granted under the pretence of minority rights. A reclassification of minorities would question the legitimacy of such allocations.
• Reduce the Minority Budget: Currently, vast funds are allocated to minority communities that do not need them. These resources can be redirected towards critical sectors such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
• Curb Uncontrolled Population Growth: Government policies and benefits that encourage higher birth rates among certain communities must be reviewed to ensure sustainable population growth and resource allocation. Defining Minorities would certainly cause certain religious sections to keep the population within a limit hence would be beneficial to curbing uncontrolled population growth.

An Urgent Need for Policy Reforms

India must break free from the flawed notion that any non-Hindu is a minority and embrace a rational, demographic-based approach to defining minority status. By setting clear numerical thresholds, India can ensure equitable distribution of benefits, discourage religious conversions for material gains, remove outdated religious privileges, and channel government resources toward the most deserving sections of society. Only by redefining minorities on logical, mathematical grounds can India achieve true social harmony and justice for all its citizens.