Chandigarh: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Center has remained silent on the Supreme Court verdict. The decision Sub-classification on Scheduled Castes (SCs) possibly for the purpose of reservation Different ideas Among his allies
However, his newly appointed government in the northern state of Haryana became the country’s first province. To implement The court’s order allows states to sub-categorize Dalits for reservation.
After BJP’s historic day Third in a row After winning the state elections in Haryana, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini during his first cabinet meeting announced 20% reservation for Dalits in government jobs in two groups – Scheduled Castes (DSC) and Scheduled Castes (OSC). announced to divide equally. October 18.>
The state SC panel, whose report forced the state government to implement partition, argued that the DSCs group of 36 castes remained under-represented in government jobs in Haryana, reflecting their social, educational and occupational backwardness. The direct result is>
On the other hand, it was argued that the OSC group, consisting mostly of the 10 ‘dominant’ castes such as Chamars and Jatavs, were over-represented in state government jobs in proportion to their population.
The state’s latest decision was also in line with the previous BJP government’s initiative for sub-quota reservation in higher education through the Haryana Scheduled Caste (Reservation in Admission to Educational Institutions) Act, which was passed in 2020.>
Many local Congress leaders and Dalit activists The Wire accused the BJP of dividing the community for its own political purpose
On the contrary, a section of activists and political leaders belonging to the BJP’s sub-quota movement welcomed the decision as a historic move.
Local BJP leaders also claimed it. Their media statements That the move restored historical injustice by mainstreaming all Dalit communities in the DSC group, who had not received due benefit of reservation in the past.
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BJP’s Political Reckoning Ahead of Haryana Elections>
But behind the move, there was definitely a political calculation, with the BJP eyeing the Haryana elections and the same formula is being developed in Maharashtra as well.
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Just as the BJP-led Maharashtra government on October 16 SC panel formed. To test the issue hours before the announcement of the state assembly polls, the party had made similar moves a few days before the announcement of the Haryana assembly polls.
The then BJP government had directed the Haryana SC Commission to prepare a report on sub-classification within six days after the Supreme Court verdict on August 2.
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Less than a week after August 17, the then Council of Ministers, headed by the current Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, even Recommendations accepted The SC Commission sent a strong message that it was keen to implement the report if returned to power.
Journalist Gaurav Kumar, who closely follows Dalit issues in the state, told The Wire that the decision definitely had an impact on the SC communities in the DSC group during the state elections.>
“I have personally seen on the ground how members of various SC groups like the Valmikis – long loyal Congress voters – campaign aggressively for the BJP despite their ideological differences as they are being held by the BJP. Recognition was promised in JP’s new sub-quota reservation initiative,” he said. >
He said the issue certainly made a plausible political strategy for the BJP as, after its poor performance in the LS polls, the party mobilized several communities to take on a resurgent Congress. Need to do.
He added that the DSC groups, which constitute about 11% of the state’s total population and 52% of the Dalit population, have shifted in favor of the BJP due to sub-caste issues, as ground reports and surveys show. do
Journalist Kumar also said that the BJP also benefited from the split of votes from the OSC group, which was otherwise opposed to the BJP’s sub-caste move.
“Here, the rebellion of Congress Dalit leader Kumari Selja, who hails from the Chamar community, now classified in the OSC group, played a role and further hampered the Congress’s chances. Otherwise, the Congress’s six There was no justification for the five Chamar leaders of the BJP to win the election.
Election Research Institute CSDS-Lokniti Post poll survey Haryana also pointed out similar similarities.
According to the survey, almost half (45%) of the non-Jatav SC castes – now representing DSC groups – voted for the BJP compared to 33% for the Congress.>
On the other hand, the BJP also managed to gain a foothold in the Jatav vote bank – classified as OSC in Haryana’s sub-classification initiative – with 35% share against the Congress’ 50%. .
This, many safely speculate, helped the BJP win 8 of the 17 SC reserved constituencies in the state, as well as decisive Dalit support in unreserved constituencies.
Gurukumar said these two groups had rallied behind the Congress during the Lok Sabha elections, but split due to the BJP’s sub-classification move as well as internal leadership conflict in the Congress.
How BJP Govt Distributed SC Quota in Haryana>
The Haryana SC Commission panel, whose 83-page report formed the basis for bifurcating the Dalit quota into two groups, essentially argued that the Scheduled Castes were not adequately represented in the state’s government services. While other Scheduled Castes are still more than adequately represented. The fact is that the proportion of the two groups is almost equal in the Dalit population of Haryana.
Referring to the distribution of employment data in government jobs among Scheduled Castes, the report states that OSC constitute a majority of 60.30% of the total SC employees. Castes Like Chamar, Jatiya Chamar, Rahgar, Raigar, Ramdasi, Ravidasi, Balahi, Batoi, Bhatoi, Bhambi, Chamar Rohidas, Jatav, Jatava, Mochi, Ramdasiya.>
Only 39.70% of the remaining DSC employees belong to 36 SC communities. Within this category, Balmiki and related castes constitute 16% of the total employees. Other prominent castes in Deprived Scheduled Caste include Dhunk caste (10%), Od. Caste (2.2%), Bazir Caste (1.31%), Religious and Religious Sikhs (0.74%) etc>
The report further analyzes that Group A, B and C jobs are dominated by OSC groups while Group D jobs are skewed towards DSC category, showing a clear difference in the positions occupied by them. do
According to the panel report, one reason for the systemic exclusion of DSC groups From the higher group jobs, and their concentration in Group D roles, admission to Group A, B, C posts is usually by passing competitive examinations conducted by the Public Service Commission. Minimum qualifications are required. In contrast, Group D jobs, being non-managerial and more operational, generally require less than a matric qualification.
The report recommended that sub-classification is required by the state government to ensure equality of opportunity and adequate representation in public employment among different caste groups.
Opinion is divided on the sub-categorization.>
Devidas Valmiki, president of Haryana’s Jind-based Scheduled Caste Association, told The Wire, “We have been fighting for 18 years to mainstream the non-Chamar SC communities and are finally happy that Haryana This demand has been fulfilled
He said that these communities never got due benefit of reservation in government jobs and education
The political system of the country is responsible for this, which has not given us adequate representation in power sharing, thus limiting our socio-economic development.
Valmiki said there are Dalit communities that have never benefited from reservation in employment, while generations of other dominant SC castes have benefited more from reservation.
Displaying his political skills, he said it is now common knowledge that the support of his communities played a major role in the BJP’s victory in Haryana.
“On an average, 10,000-12,000 votes from our communities were transferred to BJP candidates in each constituency,” he claimed.
He said, “Now we want the BJP not only to provide us with government jobs, but also to promote our people as vice-chancellors in educational institutions so that our youth can be motivated to enter higher education institutions. ”
Valmiki said he also wanted a change in the minimum merit qualification so that he could get the proper benefit of the sub-category quota.
On the other hand, Dalit activist Vikram Dumulya, state president of the Ambedkar Missionaries Vidyarthi Association, condemned the BJP’s move, saying the government did not conduct a proper caste or job survey before implementing sub-classification.
He said that the data mentioned in the SC Commission report, which formed the basis of the quota distribution, was taken from the Haryana Parivar Pahchanputra Yojana, a smooth delivery of several welfare schemes during the previous BJP government. And there is a government scheme launched to monitor performance.
But data entry into the scheme was very difficult. He claimed that families belonging to Scheduled Castes suffered the most due to inconsistencies in generating family identity cards.
Dumulia said the move was politically motivated to re-elect the SCs to divide the BJP along Jat and non-Jat poll-pluck lines, which it eventually managed to do.
He added that if the BJP had a positive policy for the welfare of Dalits, it would have first addressed the shortage of government jobs, which it has not done.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA Geeta Bhokil from Jhajjar has alleged that the Haryana government’s decision to divide is an attempt to divide the community.
He said that the BJP government should fill the backlog of SC community in government posts before taking any decision. No reservation is followed in recruitment of youths in Kaushal Roozaar Nigam Limited and other contract jobs.
“The BJP government has now split the SC quota and their next move will be to scrap the reservation system.” The interview to Hindustan Times.>