Lucknow: (Asian independent) “The government should grant reservation benefits to Dalits who have converted to Buddhism in Punjab,” stated Mr. S.R. Darapuri, National President, All India People’s Front, in a letter sent to the Chief Minister of Punjab. The letter states that according to the 2011 Census of India, the Buddhist population in Punjab is 33,237. All these Buddhists have converted from Scheduled Castes. Currently, these converted Buddhists are not entitled to reservation in state services, while those who converted to Sikhism receive this benefit. It further states that the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Act, 1990, No. 15 of 1990, added Buddhists to the list of castes entitled to reservations. Thus, those who converted to Buddhism in Punjab are also entitled to reservations.
The letter sent to the Chief Minister refers to a letter from the Ministry of Welfare, Government of India, addressed to the Secretaries of the Social Welfare Departments of all states, which instructed them to remove the restriction on considering those who converted to Buddhism from Scheduled Castes as members of Scheduled Castes and to issue them Scheduled Caste certificates under the same procedure applicable to members of Scheduled Castes.
The letter further states that in many states, Dalits who converted to Buddhism from Scheduled Castes have been given the benefit of reservation, but Dalits who converted to Buddhism in Punjab are still deprived of this benefit. This benefit has been provided in the services of the Government of India since 1990.
Therefore, the All India People’s Front urges the Punjab government to consider this matter sympathetically and grant the benefit of reservation in State services to Scheduled Castes who have converted to Buddhism.
S.R. Darapuri,
National President, All India People’s Front.
Mob: 9415164845
