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”…Shall I live as a minority in my country where I was born. What is the meaning of minority? I am less than equal? Does it not keep me shameful? I do not find it insulting to my dignity as a human being?,” he said, addressing a seminar on ‘Cultural & Educational Rights – Article 29 and 30 of Indian Constitution’ organised by ‘Judicial Quest’ magazine.
Minority has been used in view of the inheritance of colonial government, he said, speaking in Urdu.
He cited Article 14 (equality before law) and 15 (prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion and race) of the Constitution.
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India has given shelter to those belonging to various faiths, including Jews, Parsis, Christians, he said. Khan had voiced the same view in an interaction during a conclave in Delhi on October 9, with a reference to Pakistan.
He said he disapproved of the binary of ‘majority-minority’ when it comes to India as all its citizens have ”equal rights”, unlike in Pakistan, where there is a ”ceiling on those who are not Muslims.” At the event on Saturday, former Chairman of the Central Administrative Tribunal L Narasimha Reddy, former BJP MLC N Ramachander Rao and others spoke on the occasion.