Union Minister of State for Social Justice A Narayanaswamy on Tuesday clarified that there is no proposal to drop a section of 'touchable' Dalits, such as Banjaras and Bhovis, from the Scheduled Castes list.
Addressing a press conference, Narayanswamy said that several Dalit groups had launched an agitation demanding internal reservation as many as 30 years ago.
"The Bommai government has taken a calculated risk of fulfilling the wishes of those communities while the previous government, led by Congress, had always skirted this issue by forming commissions after commissions. The BJP, under the leadership of Bommai, has made it a reality,” he explained.
Emphasising that Banjaras would not be dropped from the SC list, the minister said that the ruling BJP, both in the state and the centre, believe that the castes, which are on the list, will continue to enjoy the benefits under the SC reservation. "The fears of Banjara, Bhovi and other touchable Dalits that their castes will be dropped from the SC list are unfounded. The state government has not accepted the Justice Sadashiva Commission's recommendations; it has only taken it as a reference point to accord internal reservation,” he said.
Appealing to all Dalit communities, Narayanswamy said that they must come together and felicitate Bommai for taking such a bold step by organising a gala felicitation ceremony in Hubballi. “Federation of SC Communities organising this function on April 6. I appeal to my Banjara brothers and other castes in our communities to bury their differences and take part in this programme,” he said.
Published 04 April 2023, 16:45 IST