In its election manifesto, Shivpal Singh Yadav-led Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) has endorsed the long-standing demand of Roman Catholic Church and Muslim organisation for extending benefits of reservation to Hindu Dalits who converted to Christianity and Islam.
The PSPL demanded that the presidential order 1950, issued under Article 341 of Indian Constitution, be repealed so as to extend benefits of reservation to minorities also.
For several decades now, the Roman Catholic Church has been protesting against the presidential order that bars SC status to Dalits who converted to Christianity and Islam. The church is demanding “full repeal” of the law in order to completely remove the status of SC from religion and make the system completely neutral of religion.
On August 11, 1950, the then President of India issued the Constitution (Scheduled Castes Order that accords members of Scheduled Castes various rights as provided in Article 341(1) of Indian Constitution. But the third paragraph of the order specifies that “no person who professes a religion different from Hinduism shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste”.
However, in 1956, Dalit Sikhs demanded inclusion in the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, and got it. They were listed in the Presidential SC/ST Order, 1950, by amending Para 3 of Article 341 in 1956. For Dalit Buddhists, Para 3 of Article 341 was amended in 1990 to include them.
A petition challenging the presidential order of 1950 has been pending in the Supreme Court since 2011. The apex court is examining the issue of extending reservation to Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims under the Schedule Castes category.
During the Samajwadi Party regime headed by Mulayam Singh Yadav in 2005, the UP Assembly had adopted a resolution demanding repeal of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes Order, 1950. The Bahujan Samaj Party had then vehemently opposed the move, arguing that the resolution was brought by the government with the motive of diluting benefits of reservation for Hindu Dalit community.
The PSPL also promised to provide reservation to all communities in proportion to their share in population of the country.
“If the PSPL is voted to power, we will bring a law for caste-based census and provide reservation to SCs, OBCs and Muslims as per their demographic share,” Shivpal said while releasing his party’s manifesto.
Full of lucrative promises to Muslims, the PSPL manifesto also promises to introduce Urdu language in judicial work. Against the promise of doubling income of farmers made by the BJP in 2014, the PSPL has promised to ensure a minimum support price which is 2.5 times above the cost incurred by farmers for growing crops.
