Jain are Non-Hindus

New Delhi: A writ petition seeking to define the term Hindu, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism used in the Constitution of India has been filed in the Supreme x Court. K.C. Kulish, writer and journalist of Rajasthan, has filed the writ petition. He has also prayed that the terms “minority” should also be defined to avoid confusion in the country. The petitioner has submitted that the words like “Hinduism” and “minority” were commonly used these days and in order to weed out communal virus from the society it was necessary to define these words if the light of prevailing circumstances. He has pointed out the use of word Hindu in Explanation Il of Article 25 which reads as: “In sub-clause (b) of clause (2) the reference to Hindu shall be construed as including a reference to persons professing the Sikh, Jain or Buddhist religion, and the reference the Hindu religious institution shall be construed accordingly. He has submitted that “until” this date there is no precise definition of the term “Hindu” available either in any statute or in any judicial pronouncement. The petition pleaded that Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism are independent religions and urged for an appropriate writ or direction in this direction. (Statesman, March 26).