PM Modi Meets BJP MPs on SC/ST Reservation Issue

BJP MPs from SC/ST communities met with PM Modi to discuss the Supreme Court's ruling on the creamy layer within SCs/STs and urged non-implementation. PM Modi assured them of the government's support in addressing their concerns. The Supreme Court had allowed states to sub-classify SC/ST reservations.

Members of Parliament from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) representing Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) communities held a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Parliament House on Friday. The MPs collectively submitted a memorandum opposing the Supreme Court's observation on the creamy layer for ST/SC communities, urging that the decision should not be executed. PM Modi assured the MPs that he would review the issue.

Post the meeting, BJP MP Prof (Dr) Sikander Kumar stated, "The Prime Minister has reassured us that the government will act in our favor." He noted that nearly 100 MPs from both houses had voiced their concerns directly to the PM regarding the SC's decision on SC/ST reservations.

BJP MP Faggan Singh Kulaste echoed the sentiment, saying, "We informed the PM that the Supreme Court's decision on identifying the creamy layer within SCs/STs and their exclusion from reservation benefits should not be implemented. The PM concurred with this viewpoint."

Earlier, Union Minister Chirag Paswan and the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) signaled their intent to file a review petition against the Supreme Court's ruling. On August 1, the Supreme Court affirmed that states have the authority to sub-classify SCs and STs, determining representation adequacy based on effective, not quantitative metrics.

The Supreme Court, with a majority judgement of 6:1, ruled that sub-classification within SC and ST reservations is lawful. This decision overturned a previous judgement from the EV Chinnaiah case, which viewed SC/ST as indivisible groups. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud led the seven-judge bench, which included Justices BR Gavai, Vikram Nath, Bela M Trivedi, Pankaj Mithal, Manoj Misra, and Satish Chandra Sharma.

Justice BR Gavai suggested that states develop policies to identify the creamy layer within SCs and STs, thus excluding them from affirmative action benefits. In contrast, Justice Bela M. Trivedi, in her dissenting opinion, disagreed with the majority, stating that sub-classifications within Scheduled Castes and Tribes are impermissible. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)