Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Krishan Pal Gurjar on Saturday introduced the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021, to group seven Scheduled Caste communities in certain districts of Tamil Nadu under ‘Devendrakula Velalars’.
This was one of the long-pending demands of sections of these communities. The tabling of the Bill ahead of the Assembly election is deemed significant.
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However, the Bill does not address the other demand of some community leaders — removal of their castes from the Scheduled Caste list. Puthiya Tamilagam president K. Krishnasamy had insisted that the seven communities be removed from the Scheduled Caste list.
On the last day of the first part of the Budget session, Mr. Gurjar introduced the Bill to make the grouping possible.
As per the statement of objects and reasons, the Tamil Nadu government proposed certain modifications to the list of the Scheduled Castes by grouping seven castes, which exist as separate entries. The communities are to be grouped in the following way: “Devendrakula Velalar [Devendrakulathan, Kadaiyan (excluding in the coastal areas of Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts), Kalladi, Kudumbam, Pallan, Pannadi, Vathiriyan] and Kadaiyan (in the districts of Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam)”.
Any change in the lists of the Scheduled Castes and Tribes requires a constitutional amendment.
The Bill may likely be taken up for consideration and passage in the second part of the Budget session, which will begin on March 8.
The demand for the grouping had been raised several times, with members of the community having met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015.
Mr. Modi had said at a public meeting in the State that his government was sensitive to the demands of the community.
Last December, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami announced that he would write to the Centre to group the seven communities as ‘Devendrakula Velalars’, accepting the recommendation of the Hansraj Varma Committee established by his government.
