Jamiat Ulema seeks Reservation For ‘Dalit’ Muslims, Files Petition in Supreme Court

Jamiat Ulema-E-Hind has filed an application in Supreme court seeking a direction to the Centre to grant Scheduled Caste status to Dalit Muslims for availing reservations in government jobs and admission to educational institutions while admitting to prevalence of casteism in the community despite strict prohibition by Islam.

In the application, Jamiat has supported the demand of granting SC status to Muslims who converted to Islam. It has been said that the inclusion of Dalit Muslims in the SC list will increase the participation of the Muslim community in the political, educational and employment sectors.

Jamiat has filed the application in the already pending petitions demanding SC status for Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims and has also sought to make Jamiat a party in the case. A number of petitions are pending in the Supreme Court demanding SC status to Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims and their inclusion in the list of SCs issued by the President.

It has been said that despite being converted, the condition of Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims has not changed and they are still equally backward.
Paragraph 3 of the Scheduled Castes Order 1950 of the Constitution has been challenged in the petitions. The Jamiat, in its application, has supported the pending petitions saying that the Constitution forbids discrimination on the basis of religion, caste, place etc. In such a situation, keeping Dalit Muslims out of SC status on the basis of religion is full of discrimination.

In support of its demand, Jamiat has also cited Sachar Committee report on the condition of Muslims and Ranganath Mishra Commission report. The Central Government had also clarified its stand by filing a counter affidavit in the Supreme Court on November 10. The Central Government has said in the Supreme Court that Dalits who convert to Christianity and Islam are not entitled to SC status.