Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a crucial meeting on Friday with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha who represent Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities. The meeting was convened in response to the Supreme Court’s recent ruling concerning the application of the creamy layer concept within SC/ST reservations.
The concerned MPs presented a memorandum to the Prime Minister, urging the government not to enforce the Supreme Court’s decision. They expressed apprehensions that implementing this concept could undermine the benefits of reservation for the most disadvantaged sections within the SC/ST communities.
Following the meeting, BJP MP Prof. (Dr.) Sikander Kumar stated that Prime Minister Modi had assured the MPs that their concerns would be addressed. “A few days ago, the Supreme Court gave its decision on SC/ST reservations. A delegation of around 100 MPs from both Houses met PM Modi today and shared their concerns. The PM listened to all the MPs and assured us that the government will act in favor of the MPs,” Prof. Kumar remarked.
Similarly, BJP MP Faggan Singh Kulaste added that the Prime Minister supported their viewpoint. “We told the PM that the SC decision on identifying the creamy layer within SCs/STs and excluding them from reservation benefits should not be implemented. The PM also agreed that this should not be enforced,” Kulaste noted.
In addition to the BJP MPs, Union Minister Chirag Paswan also voiced his opposition to the Supreme Court’s observation. He announced that the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) plans to file a review petition against the ruling.
The Supreme Court, on August 1, ruled that states possess the authority to sub-classify SCs and STs, determining that the adequacy of representation should be evaluated based on effective rather than quantitative criteria. The landmark decision, delivered by a seven-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, was passed with a 6:1 majority. This ruling overturned an earlier judgment in the EV Chinnaiah case, which had prohibited such sub-classification.
In his suggestion, Justice BR Gavai proposed that states should develop policies to identify and exclude the creamy layer within the SC/ST category, ensuring that affirmative action benefits reach the most disadvantaged. However, in a dissenting opinion, Justice Bela M. Trivedi disagreed with the majority, arguing that sub-classification within SCs/STs should not be permitted.
