JAMMU, March 26 -- Welcoming the recent judgment of the Supreme Court of India, prominent SC community social activist and former Vice Chairman, Balbir Ram Rattan, today said that the ruling, delivered in the context of clarifying whether individuals can continue to claim Scheduled Caste (SC) status after converting to other religions, will play a crucial role in preventing misuse and dilution of reservation benefits.
He said that the Hon'ble Court has clearly held that Scheduled Caste status is confined to individuals professing Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism, and that conversion to religions such as Christianity or Islam leads to the loss of SC status and related benefits. By reaffirming the provisions of the Constitution (Scheduled Cast...