In a significant announcement in the Legislative Council on Thursday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clearly stated that Scheduled Caste (SC) certificates will now only be valid for followers of the Hindu, Buddhist, and Sikh religions. If a person of any other religion has obtained an SC certificate, it will be canceled.
The Chief Minister also clarified that only those belonging to these three religions will be eligible for government jobs, reservations, and other benefits under the Scheduled Caste category. Legal action will be taken against anyone who has availed government benefits based on a false certificate.
Election Could Also Be Canceled
CM Fadnavis also stated that if a person has won an election using an SC certificate but follows another religion, their election will also be invalidated.
BJP leader Amit Gorkhe has also made serious allegations on this issue. He stated that some people of the Christian faith are taking undue advantage of SC reservations by concealing their identity and misusing religious freedom. Gorkhe claimed that such people outwardly appear to belong to the Scheduled Caste but secretly practice another religion, which is a violation of the rules.
Increasing Incidents of Conversion a Concern
CM Fadnavis acknowledged that incidents of religious conversion are continuously coming to light in the state, especially among the poorer sections of society. He stated that the Supreme Court, in its decision on November 26, 2024, had clarified that only Hindus, Buddhists, and Sikhs are eligible for SC reservations.
Fadnavis said that if someone has been forcibly, lured, or fraudulently converted, it is not only against the constitution but also against the law. Describing such cases as completely unacceptable, he said that the state government is working seriously on this.
Break to be Put on Forced Conversions
Chief Minister Fadnavis also informed the Legislative Council that complaints of cases of conversion through fraud and coercion have increased rapidly in the state. The government is now considering bringing in stricter legal provisions to deal with such cases.
Under this, a special committee was formed under the chairmanship of the Director General of Police, which was tasked with suggesting ways to make the law stricter to deal with such conversions. The Chief Minister said that the committee has submitted its report to the government, which will now be studied and changes will be made in the law soon.
