National Commission for Minorities has set up a three-member committee to study the matter to give minority status to Hindus in eight states including Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.Talking to AIR, the Commission chairman Syed Ghayorul Hasan Rizvi said the committee will give its report within three months. He said after examining the report, the Commission will take a view over the issue.

Mr Rizvi said the decision in this regard came following the Supreme Court views over the issue asking the petitioner to approach the Commission.Last month, the apex court had refused to entertain a petition seeking its direction to the Centre to grant minority status to Hindus in eight states.

The Court had said the issue needed to be decided by the National Commission for Minorities and asked the petitioner to approach the commission.

The other states are Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.