Agencies
http://www.centralchronicle
.com/20061125/2511141.htm
New Delhi, Nov 24: The government today said
the proposal to provide reservation to Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes who have converted
to Christianity and Islam is being considered
by the National Commission of Linguistic and
Religious Minorities.
"Reservation to converts to religions like
Buddhism and Sikhism which have roots in Hinduism
has been provided. The proposal to include converts
to Islam and Christianity is being examined
by National Commission of Religious and Linguistic
minorities," Social Justice and Empowerment
Minister Meira Kumar said.
Replying to a debate on a private member's bill
introduced in the last session of Parliament,
she said her ministry has initiated action on
demands to include 513 castes in Scheduled Castes
category.
Kumar said of these proposals, around 426 have
been sent to states for further information.
She said the Centre has also written to states
to increase incentives for those who go for
inter-caste marriage with Scheduled Castes to
Rs 50,000.
The Minister said it would not be feasible to
grant a person, who is a Scheduled Caste in
a state, same status all over the country.
"If that is done there is a threat that
SCs in some states who have higher standard
of education might corner benefits of SCs in
backward states," she said.
On the demand to give status of STs to tea tribes
in Assam, she said the matter has been referred
to Registrar General of India 4-5 times and
every time it has been rejected Creamy layer
to stay.
The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a PIL
seeking exemption of the operation of the "creamy
layer" rule within the Other Backward Classes
(OBCs) for persons engaged in hereditary occupations.
"The moment you start class out of castes
then the benefit of reservation to backward
and economically backward classes will be deprived,"
a Bench headed by Chief Justice YK Sabharwal
observed.
Holding that there was no merit in the PIL,
the Bench also comprising Justices C K Thakker
and RV Ravindran said, "The averments are
totally against the basis on which the reservation
policy is based".
"We won't interfere," the Bench said
rejecting the PIL filed by BJP MP Haribhau Rathod,
who had sought exemption of operation of the
rule of 'creamy layer' for persons working as
artisans or engaged in other hereditary occupations.
The court also did not accept the contention
of the MP from Yavatmal in Maharashtra that
the Centre should implement the 1993 Office
Memorandum of Ministry of Social Welfare and
Empowerment.
