The Ministry of Minority Affairs of the central government, in an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, asserted that state governments have the power to identify any religious or linguistic community, including Hindus, as a "minority community" within the "said state", news agency PTI reported.
The submission was made in response to a 2020 petition filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, who contended that Hindus are in minority in 10 states as per the 2011 census, and said that they should be given a minority status to avail the benefits of schemes reserved for minorities.