Vinod Chavda

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) Members of Parliament on Aug 9 to discuss their concerns over the recent Supreme Court ruling on subcategorization within SC/ST reservations.

Kutch MP Vinod Chavda reported that PM Modi assured the MPs that neither the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nor the Central government or any state government is considering changes to the existing reservation system.

“It is only the opinion of the panel of Supreme Court judges,” he cited PM Modi as saying.

Chavda was among the delegation who met the PM to hand over a formal letter on their concerns about misinformation being spread by opposition parties, particularly the Congress, regarding the potential removal of reservations.

This meeting comes in the wake of the Supreme Court's 6-1 majority ruling granting states the authority to create subcategories within SC and ST reservations. While some states, like Telangana, have shown readiness to implement this order, Gujarat has yet to initiate discussions on the matter.

The Supreme Court order emphasized the need for empirical data to distinguish between beneficiaries and the more disadvantaged within these groups. This ruling has particular significance for Gujarat, where a study cited by the Court found complex caste dynamics even within Dalit communities.

He said that the Prime Minister was relieved that the manner in which the Congress government and the opposition are misleading the people of the SC and ST categories of the country and spreading the rumors about removal of reservation, all the MPs came together today. He also made a presentation to the Prime Minister of the country, Narendra Modi.