The National Minorities Rights Day is observed on December 18 in India to focus on the importance of the rights of religious minorities and...
The National Minorities Rights Day is observed on December 18 in India to focus on the importance of the rights of religious minorities and the safeguard of their Constitutionally-guaranteed freedoms. India is among the world’s most diverse countries and also the birthplace of four major religions.
The Constitution of India provides for the right to freedom of religion under Articles 25 to 28. Article 25 of the Indian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion to all persons in India. The Constitution envisages a secular model and provides that every person has the right and freedom to choose and practice his or her religion and forbids any form of discrimination or persecution on the basis of religious affiliation.
According to the 2011 Census data, minorities constitute 19.30% (23.37 crore) of India’s population. These include Muslims (14.2%), Christians (2.3%), Sikhs (1.3%), Buddhists (0.7%), Jains (0.4%) and Parsis.
The right to practice and profess any faith has allowed religious communities to thrive in India. Over the years since India’s Independence, laws have been passed both at the Union and State level to protect religious minorities against any form of discrimination or persecution. Moreover, religious as well as linguistic minorities in India are allowed to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice under Article...
