BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment A Narayanaswamy’s statement that “sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes is not permissible under the existing provisions of the Constitution,” has exposed the BJP’s hypocritical conduct.
Responding to GVL Narasimha Rao’s question in the Rajya Sabha on the present Constitutional position on providing internal reservation to SCs, the minister stated that “sub-categorisation of SCs is not permissible under the existing provisions of the Constitution.”
Siddaramaiah said this has exposed the BJP, which claimed that the double-engine government was committed to internal reservation.
In his response in the Rajya Sabha, Narayanaswamy said that the issue of sub-categorisation of SCs is presently sub-judice in Supreme Court. A Constitution bench of the SC has requested the Chief Justice of India to place the matters before a bench comprising of seven judges or more, as considered appropriate, the Union Minister added.
He also said that the National Commission to examine the issue of sub-categorization of Scheduled Castes in Andhra Pradesh (NCSCSC) had recommended amendment of Article 341 of the Constitution to provide sub-categorisation and de-sub-categorisation of SCs. The state governments and UT administrations were requested to convey their views on the recommendations of NCSCSC. So far response from 20 states and 2 UTs has been received. Out of which seven states are in favor of sub-categorization, 13 states, and one UT are against it and one UT has not offered any comments on the matter, the minister added.
Siddramaiah said in the run-up to the Assembly elections in the state, the BJP leaders had claimed that they are committed to internal reservation. Why they did not tell people that it is sub-judice? the CM questioned.