Rights of Minorities - Real Issues

Abstract

India is a pluralistic country which houses multi-religious, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multilingual and multi-racial population in its system with the democratic concept of “Unity in Diversity”. The framers of Indian Constitution framed the fundamental rights in a way, so that it does not leave out any minority inside the Union of India. Minority is “a disadvantaged group who are in smaller numbers as opposed to the dominant social group” (Healey, 1972 (Eighth Ed.)). So, the constitution guarantees protection of interest of its minority inside the territory of India and takes care of redressal if any through article 32 and 226 of Indian Constitution. The idea of giving some special rights to minorities is not to treat them as privileged but to give them a sense of security (Bakshi, 2001, 8th Edition).  This article is to explore real issues faced by the minority group in the present scenario of Indian politics, and a run through of the rights conferred by the Indian constitution to minority and problems created by un clear legal provisions.