What Did Chirag Paswan Say About Supreme Court Ruling on SC/ST Sub-Classification?

A day after the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) expressed its opposition on social media to the Supreme Court's ruling permitting sub-classification within the reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Union Minister Chirag Paswan announced that the party intends to challenge the decision.

Talking to reporters, Paswan, who leads the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), argued that the primary basis for classifying Scheduled Castes is untouchability, which he said was not referenced in the Supreme Court's ruling. He indicated that his party would seek a review of the order.

When asked about the demand for a caste census, which has been consistently advocated by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, the prominent BJP ally stated that he supports the enumeration but prefers that the results remain confidential.

All of these castes have experienced untouchability in some form

"The Supreme Court has issued a ruling on sub-classification, and while I want to avoid any remarks that might be considered contempt of court, we certainly have our objections. The Lokshakti Party (Ram Vilas) will be filing a review petition in the Supreme Court. It's important to clarify that the inclusion of castes in the scheduled category was based on the principle of untouchability, not on financial or educational criteria. All of these castes have experienced untouchability in some form," Paswan stated.

He further argued, "Therefore, the idea of reservation within reservation does not apply to Scheduled Castes. The concept of a creamy layer cannot be relevant here because the foundation is untouchability. Yet, untouchability is not even referenced in the Supreme Court's observations. Even today, we witness instances where Dalit grooms are prevented from riding horses, and educated individuals from Scheduled Caste backgrounds, even those from affluent families, continue to face untouchability."

In a post on X on Friday, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) highlighted the legacy of Paswan's father, Ram Vilas Paswan, a prominent Dalit leader, and called on the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision.

There should be no provisions for reservation in sub-categories

"The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) opposes the Supreme Court's ruling on reservation in sub-categories for SC-ST categories. The party's founder, Padma Bhushan Ram Vilas Paswan ji, has consistently argued that as long as untouchability persists against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in society, there should be no provisions for reservation in sub-categories or a creamy layer for SC-ST categories," the party said.

The post further urged, "The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) calls on the Supreme Court to revisit its decision to prevent discrimination within the SC-ST community and to ensure that society remains united."

In its ruling on Thursday, a seven-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, stated in its majority opinion that sub-classification is allowed.

The Centre also informed the court that it supports the sub-classification of SCs and STs, arguing that failing to do so would perpetuate inequality within the reserved categories.

When Paswan was questioned about the demand for a caste census, which has sparked considerable debate during the current session of Parliament, he expressed his support for it as a means to inform policy-making.

"I believe we should conduct a caste census. However, the findings should remain confidential and not be disclosed to the public. The government should utilize the data to develop policies," he stated.