In a move to provide reservation to some backward castes, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government, on Friday, has added 17 OBC castes in the list of Scheduled Castes. State Authorities have been directed to issue caste certificate to families belonging to these 17 castes.
The 17 Castes who have been added in Scheduled Caste Category include Nishad, Bind, Mallah, Kewat, Kashyap, Bhar, Dhivar, Batham, Fisherman, Prajapati, Rajbhar, Kahar, Pottar, Dhimar, Manjhi, Tuhaha and Gaur. Earlier, All these 17 Castes comes under Other Backward Caste (OBC) Category.
The move is seen as an ‘appeasement’ to seek support from the castes ahead of the upcoming by-polls in the state.
While this is not the first time that the efforts being made to include the above-mentioned castes into schedule caste category. Earlier, both the Samajwadi Party and BSP Governments made attempts to add these castes in schedule caste category.
Mulayam Singh Yadav the then Chief Minister of the state had in 2005 had issued a similar order, however, the Allahabad High Court opposed the move.
Similar attempts were made by BSP Supremo Mayawati. The then CM Mayawati had in 2007, had written a letter to the Centre proposing the inclusion of the castes into the SC category
Later Akhilesh Yadav, the then CM, had in December 2016, had made attempts to add these 17 castes by issuing a notice to the Centre to do the needful. However, the then Union Minister Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot did not give its nod the issue was challenged in the Allahabad High Court.
Earlier on June 11, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led State Cabinet increased the pension of the senior citizens across the state.
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