Date:11/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/03/11/stories/2006031109650400.htm
Andhra Pradesh - Others
Categorisation of SCs: Mala Mahanadu, MRPS at loggerheads
Special Correspondent
Rajya Sabha member D. Seelam favours national debate
Distortions in inclusion of some rich communities in BCs cited
Sonia Gandhi urged to initiate national debate on issue
NEW DELHI: An intense campaign is currently on in the capital with delegations from Andhra Pradesh arguing in favour of the need to amend the Constitution and provide for categorisation of Scheduled Castes and against such a move.
For the past few days, different organisations taking up their respective positions have been knocking at the doors of the Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers and Congress president to explain their points of view. If the Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti wants the Union Government to bring an amendment, the Mala Mahanadu has been campaigning against it.
AICC secretary and Rajya Sabha MP J.D. Seelam has mooted a different note suggesting a national debate and a community-driven solution including a preferential layer, as against the creamy layer concept to tackle the issue.
In his note to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Mr. Seelam said empowering States to include communities had resulted in distortions with some States like Uttar Pradesh and Karnakata including affluent communities in Backward Classes under political consideration.
Instead, he said a bottom up categorisation based on degree of stigma associated with occupations and professions and related social and economic indices with a preferential layer could be considered. This could be done keeping in view the interests of all Dalit sub-castes in the country including the Madigas of Andhra Pradesh.
"It is detrimental to the interests of the Scheduled Castes to meddle with Article 341 of the Constitution. Instead a bill can be brought before Parliament do to the needful using Article 341," he said.
Cumulative disadvantage
Arguing against categorisation, as it was existing in Andhra Pradesh before being struck down by the Supreme Court, Mr. Seelam said both Madigas and Mala share cumulative disadvantage on account of the stigma of untouchability. Instead, he suggested that for instance, all the SC sub-castes engaged in scavenging, flaying, tanning and agricultural labourers could be put in category A, the class IV employees etc in the next group; non gazetted officers in group C; and rest of the SCs in category D. This should also allow any one in the last group to voluntarily opt out of the system.
In another note, former MP K.S.R. Murthy urged Congress president Sonia Gandhi to initiate a national debate and charged that the unanimous resolution passed by the State for amending the Constitution was on account of "blackmail'' politics of some leaders.
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