DEHRADUN: Leaders from the SC/ST employee association of Uttarakhand said that they will convert to Buddhism and if the government failed to address the issue of reservation in jobs.
They also alleged that the government had refused to acknowledge that the marginalised classes need reservation.
Matan Lal, a member of the SC/ST employee association said, "The society or religion where one is not treated as human being breeds dissent and sorrow among the people. We will follow into the footsteps of Baba Saheb as he did in 1956."
Karam Ram, president of the association said, "Our Constitution gives us right to do so and we will do it as a protest against the government's approach for reservation. The government must understand that to elevate the marginalised sections of the society, reservation is important."
With over 30,000 government employees across the hilly state in various government departments, people belonging to the SC/ST are angry with the government as there is only 10 per cent representation of these communities in IAS, PCS, state judicial and police services.
The state government appealed in the Supreme Court against Uttrakhand High court order of April 2019 in which the HC directed the government to collate data of SC employees from various departments to ascertain reservation in promotion.
Apart from SC/ST employees, political parties like Indian National Congress, Samajwadi Pary and Bahujan Samaj Party have termed the move a violation of spirit of the Indian Constitution.
Uttarakhand government in 2012 decided to fill up state government posts without providing reservation in promotion after which the decision was challenged in Uttarakhand high court.
The High Court, last year, declared state government's decision illegal.
The High Court's decision was challenged in the Supreme Court, after which the apex court earlier this month, subverted the High Court order.
Timeline
July 10, 2012: Uttarakhand high court while hearing a case of Vinod Prakash Nautiyal vs State of Uttarakhand banned reservation in promotion.
September 5, 2012: Uttarakhand state government issued order banning reservation in promotion.
April 1, 2019: Uttarakhand high court nullified state government order of banning the reservation in promotion.
May 2019: A review petition was filed in Uttarakhand high court.
September 11, 2019: Uttarakhand government put hold on promotions in all state government departments.
November 2019: Uttarakhand high court subverted it's own order and directed the state government to collate data of SC employees in state government departments.
November 2019: Uttarakhand state government and an organization of general and OBC employees filed special leave petition in Supreme Court.
February 7, 2020: The SC directed that state government cannot be directed to provide reservation in promotion.