The DMK Government in Tamil Nadu headed by Chief Minister MK Stalin is to table a resolution in the Legislative Assembly today urging the Central Government to bring amendments in the laws to give reservation to the Adi Dravidianswho have converted to Christianity.
As per Census 2011, there are 1.44 crore of Adi Dravidar constituting 20.01% of the total population of Tamil Nadu (7.21 crore).
According to reports, the Assembly would urge the Centre to extend the legal protection, rights, and reservations provided to the Scheduled Castes in the Constitution of India to the Adi Dravida commumity who have converted to Christianity.
In 1950, the Nehru government passed an order restricting the definition of “scheduled caste” only to members of the Hindu faith. However, it was later extended to Sikhs in 1956 and to Buddhists in 1990 because they are seen as an extension of the Sanatana Dharma.
Para 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order clearly states that no person who professes a religion different from Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist religion shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste.
The Supreme Court in a 2015 ruling had said, “Once a person ceases to be a Hindu and becomes a Christian, the social and economic disabilities arising because of Hindu religion cease and hence it is no longer necessary to give him protection and for this reason he is deemed not to belong to a scheduled caste.”
Ravishankar Prasad when he was Union Law Minister said in response to a question in the Rajya Sabha said that as per the Constitution of India and Indian statute, Hindu persons eligible for reservation benefits, like those belonging to Scheduled Castes, cannot avail the same benefits if they convert to Christianity or Islam.
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