By TwoCircles.net News Desk,
New Delhi: Of 35 states/Union Territories in the country, only 15 have so far constituted minority commission, the Union Government told the Lok Sabha on Friday.
Giving this information in the Lok Sabha in a written reply Salman Khurshid, Minister for Minority Affairs, said that the State Minorities Commissions have been constituted in fifteen States, namely Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Delhi, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.
The states which have not set up minority commission include Kerala – where Muslims are about 25%, according to Census 2001 – and Gujarat which has been in world news for bloodiest communal riots in the country
The National Commission for Minorities has recommended to the State Governments to set up State Minorities Commission where they do not exist, informed the minister to the House.