The Hindu : National : Add 17 most backward castes to SC list: Mayawati

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Add 17 most backward castes to SC list: Mayawati

Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has sent to the Centre a proposal for inclusion of 17 most backward castes in the State in the list of Scheduled Castes under Article 341 of the Constitution. She also urged it to increase the reservation for the SCs through a Constitution amendment.

Making the announcement in the Assembly on Tuesday, Ms. Mayawati said these 17 castes were socially, economically and educationally most backward and thus fulfilled all criteria for being categorised as the SCs.

A similar proposal made by the former Chief Minister Mulayam Singh in 2005 was shot down by the Centre. Ms. Mayawati regretted that the Samajwadi Party government had issued a notification conferring the SC status on these backward castes knowing full well that only the Centre had the power and authority to do so. The notification was stayed by the Allahabad High Court on December 20, 2005, Ms. Mayawati said.

Revoked

The previous regime’s move was “unconstitutional” and it harmed the interests of these castes. On her Bahujan Samaj Party coming to power, the notification was revoked, the Chief Minister said.

Later she told a press conference that she had earlier in the day sent a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the inclusion of the 17 castes. These are Kahar, Kashyap, Kewat, Bind, Nishad, Mallah, Maajhi, Machhua, Prajapati, Dhiwar, Dheemar, Batham, Bhar, Rajbhar, Tura, Kumhar and Gaur.

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