'Dalit converts not entitled to quota'

In what may seem very disappointing to Dalit Christians and Muslims, the National Commission for SCs has concluded that there is insufficient evidence that these sections suffered from the stigma of untouchability.

The reasoning is a significant addition to the opinion already expressed by the commission that Dalit converts could be extended quota benefits but with the rider that it could not be at the cost of the 15% quota for those on the SC list. The observations on untouchability will, however, make it difficult for Christian and Muslim "Dalits" to be granted quota benefits, the Times of India reported Friday.

According to the report, the government can still go ahead with granting quota benefits to the minority claimants. But in doing so, it will run the risk of violating the 50% ceiling imposed on quotas by the Supreme Court. The only other option would be to carve a separate quota out of the OBC share.

The panel in a recent meeting had suggested opening a separate quota for converts. The separate quota, the commission said, should be according to their population.

The National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities (NCRLM) had recommended that SC status, limited to dalits among Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs, should be delinked from religion by an amendment to Constitution (SCs) Order, 1950.