Wrong electoral posturing by DMK

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has kicked up an interesting row by passing a resolution demanding the Centre to amend laws to extend reservations meant for the Scheduled Castes and also to the converted Dalit Christians. Although, the principal Opposition, AIADMK walked out, with a brute majority, he got it passed in the assembly. This despite, in the past Supreme Court dismissing such a petition, though promised to look into it at an appropriate time and it is pending in the apex court. As a result, a debate broke out for and against such a proposal. While those who support feel that the Dalits who were deprived by upper castes in the Hindu community for the past 3000 years, deserve to get this benefit though they might have embraced Christianity, those who are opposing it find it bizarre and stupid. Do they argue the reason behind their deserting the Hindu faith as it perpetrated ‘oppression’ and how can they now stake a claim from the same faith (Hindu) dominated country’s taxpayer’s money for such a benefit? The Constitution is loud and clear in barring religious reservations. It looks like a well-hatched conspiracy by the Opposition, which is unable to take on the might of the BJP-led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, by making such unreasonable and unacceptable demands, only to create chaos in the society. Already some senseless leaders heading the states have made such an attempt by introducing 4 or 8 percent reservations, knowing well such proviso doesn’t exist in the well laid down Constitution, yet only to pressurize the government as well as the judiciary. And, so far the apex court seems to have stuck to the Constitutional norms, though it is entertaining such petty and politically motivated petitions. Against that backdrop, the latest move by the DMK supremo’s decision to move a resolution in the assembly urging the Union government to bring amendments in the laws to give reservation to the Adi Dravidians, who have converted to Christians, clearly exposes his ill intentions. That too when he got tempted by the former J&K Chief Minister and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, to enter the Oppn PM’s race. Replying to a question just before Stalin convened meeting of Opposition leaders in Chennai recently, Abdullah said, ‘Why not MK Stalin?” Stalin, unlike his late father M Karunanidhi, who throughout his career never showed interest in national politics, but only successfully exploited the party in power at the Centre, to reap benefits to his state. That being the policy or ideology whatever one may wish to describe, the Dravidians followed the ‘state first’ and ‘nation next’ policy. But, Stalin accepting modern-day politics, that too when the BJP itself is propagating that ‘nation first’, seems to have developed an interest to play a role in national politics, by seizing the opportunity of leading the Opposition unity to take on mighty Modi-Shah in the next year Lok Sabha polls. As Dalit Christians in Tamil Nadu form considerable numbers among the electorate, Stalin appears to determine to lure them with such a ‘promise’, which he is too well aware cannot be realized. Stalin, who introduced the resolution, said it was unfair to deny Dalit Christians the rights enjoyed by other members of the Adi Dravidar (Dalit) community on the grounds of religious conversion.“People have the right to practice the religion of their liking, but their caste doesn’t change. Adi Dravidar people continue to suffer caste atrocities such as untouchability even after converting to other religions,” he said. What does it convey? Do even other religions practice untouchability? He also urged the justice (retired) K.G. Balakrishnan Commission, appointed by the Union government in October 2022 to study whether reservation can be extended to Dalit Christians and Muslims to submit its report only after gathering the views of state governments. As of now, the constitutional right to reservations in jobs and education as SC is extended only to people from Hindu, Sikh, or Buddhist faiths, by the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950. But activists have argued for decades that the umbrella of SC reservation should be extended to Dalit people who have converted to Christianity or Islam. Meanwhile, the hearing in the Supreme Court is underway of several petitions that argue that scheduled caste quotas should be extended to Dalit Christians and Muslims. In December 2022, the Union government told the apex court that a report of the Justice Ranganath Misra Commission, which recommended providing SC quota to Dalits who converted to Christianity and Islam, was flawed. Stalin’s government’s resolution, perhaps, was only to strengthen the petitioner’s argument and put pressure on the apex court to direct the government.