Dalits Converting to Abrahamic Religions not Eligible for SC Benefits

NEW DELHI: The Union Law Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday said that Dalit converts to Islam or Christianity will not be eligible for contesting parliamentary or assembly elections from constituencies reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC), and cannot claim other reservation benefits.

Ravi Shankar Prasad also added that Dalits who adopt Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist faiths would be eligible for contesting from SC reserved seats and can avail other reservation benefits.

Minister Prasad made these statements in the Rajya Sabha in response to a question from Bharatiya Janata Party member G V L Narasimha Rao.

The minister, while talking about the issue of contesting elections from reserved seats said, "Para 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order outlines 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 minister's statement makes a clear distinction between Dalits adopting Islam and Christianity with those choosing to adopt Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism.

The Union law minister clarified that there was no proposal to bring in any amendment in the Representation of the People Act to debar SCs/STs converting to Islam or Christianity from contesting parliamentary or assembly elections.

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh asked the Union Minister to clarify if citizens belonging to minority religions Muslims and Christians will be extended the benefits of reservations, the law minister reiterated that only Dalits belonging to Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh religious communities will be eligible to receive the benefits.

Jawaharlal Nehru- led government in 1950 passed an order restricting the definition of "Scheduled Caste" only to members of the Hindu faith which were later extended to Sikhs in 1956 and to Buddhists in 1990.

The Supreme Court, in a 2015 ruling, also upheld that the caste benefits only belong to the Indic communities. The apex court noted, "Once such 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."

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