Punjab Outlook

Amritsar:Bharatiya Janata Party’s Punjab Spokesperson and Sikh thinker Prof. Sarchand Singh Khiala has called for a constitutional review of the minority status granted to Muslims at the national level, urging that the criteria for minority recognition be determined state-wise rather than nationally. He stated that the Muslim community in India today enjoys an influential demographic and political position and can no longer be considered a minority. However, he added, economic-based reservations can be considered where justified.
Prof. Khiala emphasized that in a multi-religious and multicultural country like India, the definition of “minority” cannot remain static. The Muslim community, he said, no longer fits the category of a “minority,” as its population now exceeds 200 million, nearly 16-17% of India’s total population. In states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, and Jammu & Kashmir, Muslims hold decisive influence. Granting them minority privileges, he argued, is inconsistent with the principle of social justice.
Citing the Economic Advisory Council’s report presented to the Prime Minister, Prof. Khiala noted that Muslim population share in India has grown from 9.84% in 1950 to 14.09% in 2015 — an increase of 43.15%, while the Hindu population fell from 84.68% to 78.06% during the same period. The government informed Parliament in 2023 that the Muslim population exceeds 197.5 million, likely surpassing 200 million now. In comparison, Sikhs constitute only 1.85%, Christians 2.36%, Buddhists 0.81%, Jains 0.36%, and Parsis merely 0.004% of India’s population.
He further pointed out that despite a 1% decline in Muslim Total Fertility Rate (TFR) between 2005-06 and 2019-21, the overall Muslim population continues to grow rapidly due to factors like illegal immigration, refugee influx, and religious conversions — which are gradually altering India’s demographic balance, posing a challenge to national unity and integrity.
Prof. Khiala launched a sharp attack on the Congress Party, accusing it of nurturing vote-bank politics under the false slogan of secularism. He said that Congress’s prolonged appeasement policies effectively provided a “political shield” to Muslims, while real minorities like Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians were neglected. Their access to education, employment, and development schemes was restricted, even as Muslim-specific welfare programs under the National Minorities Commission continued unabated.
He added that in states like Jammu & Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, and West Bengal, Muslims are not a minority but a dominant group. Therefore, continuing to recognize them as a national minority and extending special privileges violates the spirit of the Indian Constitution.
Prof. Khiala asserted that the Constitution of India guarantees freedom of religion and equality to all citizens. Hence, favoring one large community with special minority rights undermines social harmony and political balance, potentially leading to a “citizen versus state” conflict, which is dangerous for any democracy.
Concluding his remarks, Prof. Khiala said that as India moves towards the vision of “Equal Citizenship”, it is imperative to constitutionally review all special political and economic benefits granted under the name of minority status. He urged the Central Government to revoke the Muslim minority status at the national level, ensuring that real minorities — Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians, and Parsis — receive stronger protection for their cultural, religious, educational, and economic rights.