Revanth Reddy Raises SC Categorization In Parliament

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President & MP A Revanth Reddy demanded that the union government amend the Constitution to sub-categorize the scheduled castes.

Raising the matter under Rule 377 in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Reddy said that the current reservation policy which did not offer special protection to the most backward castes within the scheduled castes was creating new inequalities in terms of education and employment.

"The dalit movement in the Telugu states has been divided into groups along the lines of new inequities. The shared list of scheduled castes, both advanced and backward, is establishing new disparities and setting the groundwork for divides within the scheduled castes," he said.

Reddy said that it was increasingly being seen today in every village that the Madigas, Rellis and Mehtars were in juxtaposition with the Malas and Adi-Andhras.

"According to the Justice (Rtd) Usha Mehra Commission, 22 of the 59 scheduled castes in the Telugu states have seen no progress. Some groups within the SCs, such as the Madigas, Rellis and Mehtars, are much more backward in the Telugu states than the other SCs. All the committees and commissions formed to investigate the different concerns relating to the application of reservations for the scheduled castes have suggested that special reservations be granted to the most backward castes within the SCs," he said.

Reddy said that the Centre should therefore sub-categorize the scheduled castes and allow the state governments to distribute reservation benefits in order to provide equitable social justice.