The Madras High Court Bench here has directed a Tahsildar in Dindigul to consider a plea made by a woman and her minor son, who had converted from Hinduism to Christianity before embracing Buddhism, to grant community certificates categorising them as ‘Buddhist Adi Dravidar.’
Disposing of a writ petition filed by the woman, Juliet Jenifer of Adiyanuthu in Dindigul district, a Division Bench of Justices S. Tamilvanan and V.S. Ravi directed the Dindigul East Tahsildar to consider the petitioner’s request in accordance with law and pass appropriate orders within four weeks.
In her affidavit, the petitioner claimed that she belonged to a Scheduled Caste when she was professing Hinduism, and therefore she and her son should be allowed to enjoy the same status irrespective of their conversion to Christianity and thereafter to Buddhism. Her counsel G. Bhagavath Singh claimed that the Tahsildar had issued a ‘Buddhist Adi Dravidar’ community certificate to another individual within his territorial jurisdiction. He also said a government letter issued on November 10, 2013 stated that Buddhists could claim the status of Scheduled Caste.
