Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Shanta Chhetri on Friday demanded minority status for the Hindu community residing in the northeastern state of Meghalaya.

Citing the Centre’s assertion in the Supreme Court that states can consider granting minority status to the Hindus if it is not in a majority within their jurisdiction, the TMC MP made this demand today during the ongoing Rajya Sabha session.

She said, “If Hindus are in minority in a particular state, they should be able to establish and administer educational institution of their choice in keeping with the rights granted to the minority by the Constitution as per the Centre.”

“I humbly urge the August House to draw the kind attention of the Home Minister to urgently direct the Meghalaya government to grant minority status to Hindus via a notification as per Article 29 and 30 of the Constitution of India,” the TMC MP added.

Notably, Meghalaya is one of only three Indian states to have a Christian majority with 75 per cent of the population practicing Christianity.

With 11.52 per cent of the state’s total population, Hindus are a religious minority in Meghalaya, according to the census of 2011.