Ministry of Religious Affairs
| धार्मिक मामले मंत्रालय | |
.svg) | |
| Ministry overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 24 November 2019 (first time) 9 December 2019 (second time) 12 May 2022 (third time) |
| Dissolved | 26 December 2019 (first time) 3 March 2020 (second time) 11 June 2022 (third time) |
| Superseding agency | |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Vishwamitra |
| Headquarters | Rajagriha, Purvanchal |
The Ministry of Religious Affairs (Hindi: धार्मिक मामले मंत्रालय) was a ministry of the Government of Vishwamitra and now a department under the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Minority Welfare. The ministry came into existence for the first time on 24 November 2019 and was bifurcated two days later into the Ministries of Hindu Religious Affairs and Muslim Religious Affairs. The two individual ministries were again integrated on 9 December 2019 and was formally abolished on 3 March 2020.
The ministry was briefly re-created on 12 May 2022 and was abolished the following month after being integrated with the Ministry of Minority Welfare to form the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Minority Welfare. Since then, the ministry has become the Department of Religious Affairs under the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Minority Welfare.
History
The Ministry of Religious Affairs was first created on 24 November 2019 by then President Varuna Sriraya under the council of ministers of Tanishkaa Patranabish with the aim to administer the religious affairs and to promote religious tolerance and preserve religion in the nation. Two days later, on 26 November 2019, the ministry was bifurcated into the Hindu Religious Affairs ministry and the Muslim Religious Affairs ministry.
The Ministry of Hindu Religious Affairs was to specially work towards the administration, promotion and preservation of religious affairs of the Hindus which were the largest religious group in the nation, while the Ministry of Muslim Religious Affairs worked towards the administration, promotion and preservation of Islam and its religious affairs which was constituted by the largest minority religious community. On 9 December 2019, the two ministries were integrated to form the Ministry of Religious Affairs which was further abolished on 3 March 2020.
On 12 May 2022, the Ministry of Religious Affairs was briefly re-created under the premiership of Farhaz Hazarika but was merged with the Ministry of Minority Welfare to form the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Minority Welfare. Since then, the Department of Religious Affairs had existed as a department under the ministry.
Functions
The Ministry of Religious Affairs was tasked to administer the religious affairs of the various religions and to preserve, promote and protect their traditions and customs. The ministry predominantly worked for the religious affairs of the Hindu community and the Muslim religious community which were the two large religious groups in the nation.
Ministers
Ministers of Religious Affairs
The Minister of Religious Affairs was the head of the Ministry of Religious Affairs who was responsible for the administration of the affairs of the ministry. Bishnu Chetry, a Hindu Nepalese Brahmin was appointed as the first minister upon the ministry's creation on 24 November 2019 and later served as the Minister of Hindu Religious Affairs.
Following the ministry's re-creation on 12 May 2022, Matthew Tonna was appointed as the minister and served as the sole minister thereupon.
Cabinet Ministers
| Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) |
Religion | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | Period | |||||||
| Ministers of Religious Affairs (24 November – 26 November 2019) | |||||||||
| Bishnu Chetry बिष्णु छेत्री (born 2001) |
Hinduism | 24 November 2019 |
26 November 2019 |
2 days | Congress | Tanishkaa V | Tanishkaa Patranabish | ||
| Separated into the Ministries of Hindu Religious Affairs and Muslim Religious Affairs | |||||||||
| Ministers of Religious Affairs (9 December 2019 – 3 March 2020) | |||||||||
| File:Mridul AminP.jpg | Mohammad Mridul Amin मोहम्मद मृदुल अमीन (born 2003) |
Islam | 9 December 2019 |
3 January 2020 |
25 days | Congress | Tanishkaa V | Tanishkaa Patranabish | |
|
Sanghita Roy संगीता रॉय (born 2003) |
Hinduism | 3 January 2020 |
2 February 2020 |
30 days | ||||
|
Tusharjit Deka तुषारजीत डेका (born 2006) |
Hinduism | 2 February 2020 |
3 March 2020 |
30 days | ||||
| Ministry abolished on 3 March 2020 | |||||||||
| Ministers of Religious Affairs (12 May – 11 June 2022) | |||||||||
|
|
Baron Matthew Tonna मैथ्यू टोना (born 2005) |
Orthodox Christian | 12 May 2022 |
11 June 2022 |
30 days | Independent | Farhaz III | Duke Farhaz Hazarika | |
| Ministry merged to form the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Minority Welfare on 11 June 2022 | |||||||||
Ministers of State
| Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) |
Religion | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | Period | |||||||
| Ministers of Religious Affairs (9 December 2019 – 3 March 2020) | |||||||||
|
|
Harlong Terang हरलोंग तेरांग (born 2005) |
Animism | 9 December 2019 |
3 January 2020 |
25 days | Congress | Tanishkaa V | Tanishkaa Patranabish | |
|
|
Mayuri Kalita मयूरी कलिता (born 2005) |
Hinduism | 3 January 2020 |
2 February 2020 |
30 days | ||||
| Ministry abolished on 3 March 2020 | |||||||||
Ministers of Hindu Religious Affairs
The Minister of Hindu Religious Affairs was the head of the Ministry of Hindu Religious Affairs which was created on 26 November 2019 after being separated from the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Accordingly, the Minister was mandatorily needed to be a Hindu by religion. Only, Bishnu Chetry had served as the Minister of Hindu Religious Affairs.
| Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) |
Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | Period | ||||||
| Bishnu Chetry बिष्णु छेत्री (born 2001) |
26 November 2019 |
9 December 2019 |
13 days | Congress | Tanishkaa V | Tanishkaa Patranabish | ||
| Ministry merged to form the Ministry of Religious Affairs on 9 December 2019 | ||||||||
Ministers of Muslim Religious Affairs
The Minister of Muslim Religious Affairs was the head of the Ministry of Muslim Religious Affairs which was created on 26 November 2019 after being separated from the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Accordingly, the Minister was mandatorily needed to be a Muslim by religion. Only, Mohammad Mridul Amin had served as the Minister of Hindu Religious Affairs, while Rajia Hazarika was the sole Minister of State in the Ministry.
Cabinet Ministers
| Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) |
Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | Period | ||||||
| File:Mridul AminP.jpg | Mohammad Mridul Amin मोहम्मद मृदुल अमीन (born 2003) |
26 November 2019 |
9 December 2019 |
13 days | Congress | Tanishkaa V | Tanishkaa Patranabish | |
| Ministry merged to form the Ministry of Religious Affairs on 9 December 2019 | ||||||||
Ministers of State
| Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) |
Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | Period | ||||||
|
|
Rajia Hazarika रजिया हज़ारिका (born 2003) |
26 November 2019 |
9 December 2019 |
13 days | Congress | Tanishkaa V | Tanishkaa Patranabish | |
| Ministry merged to form the Ministry of Religious Affairs on 9 December 2019 | ||||||||
