<> Nitish demands reservation for SC converts

[Ajay]

Nitish demands reservation for SC converts

Pioneer News Service / New Delhi http://dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_variable=NATION&file_name=nt8%2Etxt&counter_img=8 Months ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, two key NDA partners, the BJP and the JD-U exhibited signs of differences over the issue of reservation to Scheduled Castes converted to Islam or Christianity.

Participating in a debate to assuage the Supreme Court's feeling that the Legislature and the Executive were increasingly adopting confrontational attitude with the judiciary, JD-U leader Nitish Kumar made a strong plea for providing reservation to those from Scheduled Castes converted to Islam and Christianity, a stand opposed by BJP members.

"Caste does not go away by mere change of religion," Mr Kumar emphasised amid protests from some BJP members. Few RJD and Congress members alleged that the JD-U leader was saying that in view of Bihar Assembly polls round the corner.

The Government should come forward with a legislation that would extend reservation to SCs who converted to Christianity or Islam, Mr Kumar said.

While participating in the debate on Justice Lahoti's outbursts on the issue of reservation in unaided private institutions, BJP leader VK Malhotra, however, contended that reservation should not be given on the basis of religion. His contention triggered vociferous protests from Muslim members.

BSP leader Iliyas Azmi said reservation should be made available to the weaker sections particularly among the minorities and it should not only be restricted to such segments among Hindus.

He said while a Hindu dhobi got the benefit of reservation, a Muslim dhobi was deprived of the same facility.

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"Ours is a battle not for wealth or for power.
It is a battle for freedom. It is a battle for the reclamation of human personality."
- Dr BR Ambedkar
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