Central Government to SC : Christian and Muslim converts cannot be given benefits of Reservations

Central Govt’s assertion in Supreme Court

New Delhi – The Central Government submitted in the Supreme Court that it is appropriate to keep the people of the ‘Dalit’ community, who convert to Christianity or Islam, out of the list of Scheduled Castes. A petition had been filed in the Supreme Court demanding the same benefits for Christians and Muslims on conversion which they have been getting earlier for belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Tribes. The Ministry of Social Justice presented its argument before the Court, wherein it was stated that as per the statistics, there is no discrimination based on castes under Christianity and Islam nor are the converted people harassed because of their backwardness. Owing to these reasons, the converted people cannot be given the benefits of Reservations. There is no mention of this even in the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950.

Centre justifies no #SC tag for #Dalit Muslims, Christians in Supreme Court

‘Hinduism does recognise the caste system’ @anany_b brings details- on the Central government’s affidavit filed in response to the plea

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1. The Central Government further argued that due to oppression and untouchability, castes amongst Hindus have remained financially and socially backward, but this is not the case with Christians and Muslims. These people opted for conversions only to get rid of the caste system.

2. The Central Government also refused to accept the report of the Ranganath Misra Commission, which recommends giving Scheduled Caste and Tribe status to even the converted citizens. The Government stated that the Commission has recommended such a thing without obtaining proper facts and study.

Editorial viewpoints

• This is a laudable stand of the Central Government !
• The people who want to convert, claim that they are being oppressed because of casteism in Hindu Dharma, but want the same benefits as earlier available to them as Scheduled Castes and Tribes ! This claim amounts to double standards !
• It shows the way the Christian missionaries are deceiving people of backward communities amongst Hindus by offering various baits for converting them and claiming the absence of casteism in Christians !