Lok Sabha Question No. 1684 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-04
Subject: Minority Status to Jewish Community
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT, SUNIL KUMAR SINGH, SUPRIYA SADANAND SULE, RAJEEV SHANKARRAO SATAV, KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1684

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 04-05-2016

## Minority Status to Jewish Community

1684.  DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT: SHRI SUNIL KUMAR SINGH: SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE: SHRI SATAV RAJEEV: SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government  has received any proposal from the Jewish community demanding grant of minority status;
- (b)  if so, the reaction of the Government thereon along with the number of Jews in the country at present, State-wise;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  is  also  considering  to  open  a  Jewish  minority university in the country and if so, the details and the present status thereof;
- (d)  whether  the  Jews  are  classified  under  any  other  religion  in  the  census  of India; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the time by which a decision on the proposal from Jewish community demanding grant of minority status is likely to be taken?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)

- (a)&(b).        Yes, Madam.   A proposal of Jewish community demanding grant of minority  status  has  been  received  by  this  Ministry.    Office  of  the Registrar General, India, has intimated that the population of Jews/Judaism  religious  community  as  per  2011  Census  is  not  yet published.  The State/UT wise population of Jews/Judaism religious community   as per Census 2001 is attached at Annex-I.
- (c)                            No,  Madam.    The  Government  is  not  considering opening  a  Jewish minority University in the Country.
- (d)&(e) Office of the Registrar General, India, has  intimated that the Jews/Judaism religion is classified under the category ' Other Religion and Persuasion' in the Census of India.  No time line has been fixed by the Central Government to take a decision to declare Jewish community as minority community.

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ANNEX-I

ANNEX-I  Referred to in reply to parts (a)&(b)  Lok Sabha  Unstarred Question No. 1684  for  04-05-2016  asked by DR.  HEENA  VIJAYKUMAR  GAVIT  &  OTHRS regarding  'Minority Status to Jewish Community'.

| S.No.   | State Code   | Name of the State   | Population   | Population   | Population   |
|---------|--------------|---------------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
| S.No.   | State Code   | Name of the State   | Persons      | Males        | Females      |
| 1       | 2            | 3                   | 4            | 5            | 6            |
| 1       | 05           | UTTARANCHAL         | 1            | 0            | 1            |
| 2       | 07           | DELHI               | 23           | 11           | 12           |
| 3       | 08           | RAJASTHAN           | 30           | 15           | 15           |
| 4       | 09           | UTTAR PRADESH       | 33           | 15           | 18           |
| 5       | 10           | BIHAR               | 1            | 1            | 0            |
| 6       | 13           | NAGALAND            | 71           | 34           | 37           |
| 7       | 14           | MANIPUR             | 859          | 435          | 424          |
| 8       | 15           | MIZORAM             | 805          | 394          | 411          |
| 9       | 17           | MEGHALAYA           | 5            | 5            | 0            |
| 10      | 18           | ASSAM               | 38           | 20           | 18           |
| 11      | 19           | WEST BENGAL         | 43           | 18           | 25           |
| 12      | 20           | JHARKHAND           | 11           | 4            | 7            |
| 13      | 21           | ORISSA              | 1            | 0            | 1            |
| 14      | 23           | MADHYA PRADESH      | 18           | 7            | 11           |
| 15      | 24           | GUJARAT             | 134          | 57           | 77           |
| 16      | 27           | MAHARASHTRA         | 2466         | 1192         | 1274         |
| 17      | 28           | ANDHRA PRADESH      | 1            | 1            | 0            |
| 18      | 29           | KARNATAKA           | 21           | 10           | 11           |
| 19      | 30           | GOA                 | 14           | 7            | 7            |
| 20      | 32           | KERALA              | 64           | 30           | 34           |
| 21      | 33           | TAMIL NADU          | 8            | 3            | 5            |
| 22      | 34           | PONDICHERRY         | 3            | 2            | 1            |
| 23      | 00           | INDIA               | 4650         | 2261         | 2389         |