Supreme Court verdict on SC status for converts a BJP conspiracy: Sharmila

The Supreme Court’s recent verdict on Scheduled Caste status for those not belonging to Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism is unfortunate, and it is part of the BJP conspiracy, said Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president Y.S. Sharmila.

Participating in a roundtable organised by the Communist Party of India (CPI) to discuss the issue in Vijayawada on Tuesday (March 31), Ms. Sharmila wondered if Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken control of the apex court as well.

The Supreme Court ruled on March 24 in Chinthada Anand vs State of Andhra Pradesh that a pastor from the Madiga community in the State could not claim to be an SC as he had converted to Christianity.

The Congress State chief questioned the silence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on the issue that concerns 80 lakh Dalit Christians in A.P. Such judgments, unjust and impulsive, weaken the spirit of the Constitution, she said.

She also added that people belonging to SC don’t see improvement in economic status after converting to Christianity and attacks against them don’t decrease after conversion.

Questioning Mr. Chandrababu Naidu on his election promise of granting SC status to Dalit Christians, Ms. Sharmila said the Congress stands in support of the aggrieved people. She demanded that the report prepared by the Ranganath Misra Commission, which recommended granting SC status to Dalits converting to Christianity or Islam, be tabled in Parliament and that a review be filed against the Supreme Court verdict.