Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin introduced a motion in the Assembly on Wednesday seeking to include Dalit Christians into the purview of the Scheduled Castes (SC) quota.
He reasoned that doing so will allow them to benefit from social justice in all aspects.
“This august House urges the Government of India to make necessary amendments to the Constitution to extend statutory protection, rights and concessions including reservation as provided to the people belonging to Scheduled Castes under the Indian Constitution, also to the Scheduled Castes who have converted to Christianity, so as to enable them to avail the benefits of social justice in all aspects,” read the resolution moved by Stalin, as reported by Deccan Herald.
The resolution comes at a time when the Union Government is opposed to granting quota privileges to Dalits who have converted to Christianity or Islam.
In December 2022, the Centre informed the Supreme Court that it was unwilling to execute the recommendations of the Justice Ranganath Misra Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities that Dalits who converted to Christianity and Islam be granted quota.
The Centre has also formed a commission to investigate the subject, led by former Chief Justice of India Justice K G Balakrishnan. While Dalits who are Buddhists or Sikhs are eligible for SC reservation advantages, those who converted to Christianity or Islam are not.
