Jitan Manjhi urges Centre to take steps to help lagging Dalit castes

Patna: After the Union cabinet asserted that there was no provision for a creamy layer in the reservation for SCs and STs in the Constitution, Union minister Jitan Ram Manjhi requested the Centre to address the needs of Dalit castes that are lagging behind.

Speaking to reporters here on Saturday, Manjhi, who previously served as the chief minister of Bihar from 2014 to 2015 and is currently the Union Minister for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, emphasised the necessity for targeted measures to uplift less advantaged Dalit castes.

"I was present at the Union cabinet meeting on Friday where it was confirmed that there would be no provision for a creamy layer within the SC and ST reservation quotas. During the meeting, I requested the government to introduce provisions aimed at improving the socio-economic conditions of those castes among Dalits that are currently lagging behind," he added.

Manjhi, the founder of Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and an ally of the NDA, pointed out that benefits from the SC/ST reservation system are predominantly enjoyed by only a few Dalit castes.

He explained, "Only three to four castes among Dalits are reaping the full benefits of the reservation system, including gaining positions as IAS and IPS officers and engineers. Meanwhile, several other Dalit groups, such as Bhuiya, Musahar and Dom continue to lag significantly behind due to a lack of education and other factors. The government must implement specific measures to uplift these disadvantaged castes within the Dalit community."

The Union cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, affirmed on Friday that there is no constitutional provision for a creamy layer within the SC-ST reservation framework as outlined by B R Ambedkar.

In contrast, Bihar BJP leaders welcomed the cabinet's decision.

Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary expressed his support saying, "The Union cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, has reaffirmed the government's commitment to uphold the constitutional provisions laid out by Dr B R Ambedkar. There is no provision for a 'creamy layer' in SC/ST reservation according to the Constitution. The cabinet has decided that SC/ST reservations will remain as per the constitutional guidelines."