Ruling a challenge for government, may intensify Dalit tensions

NEW DELHI: Passage of time has blunted the strident opposition that existed to the controversial proposal of sub-categorisation of Scheduled Castes, because its implementation in states for years made the hostile strong sub-castes reconcile to its possibility, which in turn made political parties shed fears of a backlash from the stronger sub-groups.

But that is true only about the states, whom the Supreme Court has empowered to carry out sub-categorisation of SCs.

In contrast, the apex court verdict has lobbed a nettlesome issue into the court of the Centre. BJP will be expected to spell out its stance on sub-categorising the SCs at the central level, since PM Narendra Modi is seen to have played the catalyst on the long dormant issue with his sharing of stage with Madiga activists in Telangana during the assembly election campaign, and his government’s decision to send out a signal in favour of sub-classification with the constitution of a high-powered committee headed by the cabinet secretary ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Dividing the SCs at the grand national level, away from localised state audiences, risks attracting the cumulative ire of stronger Dalit groups from across the states, who would view it as a hostile act cutting into their share of affirmative action benefits.

How soon the Centre and the states act on the judgement would be keenly watched. What is likely to add an edge to the reaction of certain stronger groups, besides individual reactions across the board, is not sub-categorisation but the introduction of “creamy layer” among the Dalits, as ruled by the supreme court. Already a serious issue among the OBCs since the concept was introduced in the wake of Mandal commission, the extension of the weeding out criteria to Dalits would be watched for the response of the community.

After all, as is argued, “creamy layer” has the potential to choke the supply line of Dalits into the representation chain, which is based on the competitive ability of groups which cannot be achieved overnight. It is a tricky issue, which can test the states as well as the Centre. Sub-categorisation entails division of the SC list into groups of communities based on their status of backwardness and apportioning of total quota quantum among them in proportion to their population.

But the method of accomplishing it, with the supreme court seeking a survey for empirical data on representation of different castes in public services, puts the spotlight on the controversial issue of caste census. Observers say the green light to sub-classification of SCs can give a fresh impetus to demands for sub-categorisation of OBCs, an issue for which the Centre formed the Rohini commission but has been sitting on its report. The report was submitted on July 31, 2023, six years after it was constituted.

There are already calls that caste census would be required for sub-classification of not just the SCs but also the OBCs. Caste census has emerged as the agenda of the opposition, with Congress, SP, DMK, RJD, its champions, as against the BJP which is seen as stonewalling the push.

Courtesy : TOI

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