India Tops Global Minority Index Out Of 110 Countries: Study That Assessed Treatment Of Minority Religions

The Centre for Policy Analysis (CPA), a research institute based in Patna, ranked India first on the "global minority index", in its Global Minority Report. The report tallied data from 110 nations assessing how each state treated minority religions and the level of inclusivity it practised.

Released by former Indian Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, the report is based on conceptual problems concerning human rights, minorities, the idea of religious freedom, the cultural dilemma of religious minorities, and the root of religious divisions among others.

Factors For Grading Countries

Durga Nand Jha, executive chairman of the CPA and author of the study, said that the approach of the study was mathematical, and it assesses how the minority religions were treated in each country, reports News18. The factors for evaluating the countries were related to constitutional clauses, government policies, and other more general indicators, such as the law of the land.

It is the first international study to assign a grade to nations based on their treatment of respective religious minorities and is also the first study conducted by non-Western and Afro-Asian countries to index nations based on specific criteria.

Acknowledgement Of Religious Conflicts

Regarding India's minority policy, the study claims its framework is centred on promoting diversity. The report adds that in contrast to several other nations, no sect of any religion is outlawed in India.

There are specific and exclusive provisions in the Indian Constitution for advancing religious minorities in culture and education, and provisions supporting linguistic and religious minorities do not exist in any other country's Constitution, says the study. Due to its inclusive nature and non-discriminatory nature respecting other religions and their sects, India's minority policy may be utilised as a model by the United Nations for other nations.

The report acknowledges several conflicts between the majority and minority populations, notably with the Muslim community, that indicate it frequently does not achieve the desired effects. In light of this, it suggests that India's minority policy has to be reviewed, and to prevent national conflicts, it must rationalise its attitude toward minorities.

While South Korea, Japan, Panama and the United States of America followed India's ranking in that order, Maldives, Afghanistan, and Somalia secured the last positions. The United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates were ranked at 54 and 61, respectively.

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