Move to include 17 OBCs in Scheduled Castes category

New Delhi: Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh,Yogi Adityanath, was told off by his own party government at the Centre over a move to include 17 OBCs or Other Backward Classes in the list of Scheduled Castes.

"This is not proper," said Union Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot in parliament after the opposition BSP raised the subject.

On June 24, the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh directed district magistrates and commissioners to issue scheduled caste certificates to OBCs like Kashyap, Rajbhar, Dhivar, Bind, Kumhar, Kahar, Kewat, Nishad, Bhar, Mallah, Prajapati, Dhimar, Batham, Turha, Godia, Manjhi and Machua.

The move, which will enable these castes to get quota benefits, has not just been linked to upcoming by-polls to 12 assembly seats but also to the 2022 UP polls, according to NDTV report.

It is "unconstitutional", said Thawar Chand Gehlot, the central Minister for Social Justice an Empowerment in the Rajya Sabha, where BSP leader SC Mishra brought it up during zero hour.

He agreed with Mishra that only the Centre could sanction such a move. Gehlot said if the UP government wanted to go ahead with the decision, it should follow procedure and send a proposal to the Centre.

"We would then consider it," he added. He asked the UP government not to issue caste certificates based on the order or the matter may go to court.

The minister, who is also leader of the Rajya Sabha, said shifting of one category to another caste category is the right of parliament.

In the past, similar proposals were sent to Parliament but rejected, Mr Gehlot noted. Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu asked the minister to advise the state government to follow due process.

Misra had cited a rule in the constitution to make his point that only parliament has the power to make changes in the Scheduled Caste list. "Even the President (of India) does not have the power to tinker, alter or make changes (in the list)," he said.

Mishra also said while his party favoured the inclusion of 17 castes in Scheduled Castes, the prescribed procedure should be followed and the Scheduled Caste quota should be increased proportionately.

"The power of Parliament cannot be upsurged by a state," said the BSP leader. He said the Centre should send an advisory to the Uttar Pradesh government to withdraw the "unconstitutional order" as it was "harming the castes".

In 2005, the Samajwadi Party government of Mulayam Singh Yadav had passed an order to include 11 OBCs in the Scheduled Castes list but the order was stayed and the proposal sent to the Centre.