At a time when Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi is battling against allegations of 'soft Hindutva' approach for his temple visits, Maharashta Congress Committee secretary Shehzad Poonawalla on Tuesday petitioned to the chief ministers of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir seeking minority status for Hindus in their respective states.

Shehzad said he has sought the provision in his individual capacity and not as a functionary of the Congress.

A civil rights activist, Shehzad told Mail Today, "This is an issue that every secular person must be on board with. Nehruvian secularism is looking at every religion from the same perspective. This is a legal issue not political and is long overdue."

The UPA I had moved an amendment in Article 340 to redefine minorities but it was not pursued further.

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