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An SC or ST ceases to be so after conversion to other religion: Hyderabad HC

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An SC or ST ceases to be so after conversion to other religion: Hyderabad HC


HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad High Court has made it clear that once a member of Schedule Caste or Scheduled Tribe converts to Christianity or some other religion, such a person ceases to be a member of SC or ST and is no longer covered under the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

Rao, his wife and their son moved the High Court seeking quashing of proceedings against them in a case before the second additional judicial first class magistrate, Anakapalli, Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh.

The case was registered against them for offences punishable under various sections of IPC and Section 3(1)(x) of SC/ST (POA) Act, basing on a complaint lodged by their neighbour (de facto complainant) Srinivas who claimed that he had been abused in the name of his caste.

He said he belonged to the SC Mala community and was pastor at a church. Police said in their report after investigation that his wife and others categorically deposed that Srinivas was professing Christianity. It is clear that they converted to Christianity and were running a church and Srinivas was serving as pastor by professing Christianity though he was basically a Hindu SC by caste.

Further, the caste certificate issued in favour of Srinivas as ‘SC Mala’ had been cancelled, the police said.

Rao and his family urged the High Court to quash the case against them pending before the lower court, saying that Srinivas had made false allegations to implicate them by abusing the SC/ST Act.

They contended that there were no worthy ingredients of the case to attract other sections of IPC either against them. They relied upon a judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Chatturbhuj Vithaladas Jasani vs Moreshwar Parashram and others to buttress their argument.

On the other hand, Srinivas submitted that mere conversion to Christianity or professing Christianity in no way nullified his original caste by birth and the proceedings against Rao and his family were therefore not liable to be quashed.

After hearing both sides and perusing the material on record and various court judgments, justice B Siva Sankara Rao said, “The disabilities and handicaps do not continue after conversion. Thus, if a Scheduled Caste Hindu converts to another religion, except Sikh and Buddhist, that person ceases to be a member of the Scheduled Caste and cannot invoke the provisions of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.”

http://www.newindianexpress.com/sta...on-Hyderabad-HC/2016/05/23/article3446806.ece

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& so the 'Dalit Xian' & 'Dalit Muslim' becomes obsolete & non existent.

If you convert to a religion other than SIkhism or Buddhism, you can NO LONGER CALL YOURSELF A SC/ST.

The 'Idea of India' brigade must be horrified & furious!

@Rain Man @ranjeet @Star Wars @itachii @Levina @jbgt90 @mehboobkz @noksss @CorporateAffairs @Joe Shearer @Samudra Manthan @Nimitam @anant_s @Chanakya's_Chant @Marxist @Soulspeek @Echo_419 @SarthakGanguly
 
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The courts cannot change the law. While one of the "grouses" advocating conversion is lack of civil rights within Hinduism. So if you convert to escape the caste system, the question is how can u still claim as SC/ST and still claim "oppressed"?

Sadly, in India, conversion does not save anybody from caste. I have seen people getting arranged marriage between different religion but same castes. But never an fully wholeheartedly one between different castes.

It will take one more generation to get rid of this evil completely. Even if it gets rid, politicians need castes to keep their vote bank alive.
 
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The courts cannot change the law. While one of the "grouses" advocating conversion is lack of civil rights within Hinduism. So if you convert to escape the caste system, the question is how can u still claim as SC/ST and still claim "oppressed"?

Sadly, in India, conversion does not save anybody from caste. I have seen people getting arranged marriage between different religion but same castes. But never an fully wholeheartedly one between different castes.

It will take one more generation to get rid of this evil completely. Even if it gets rid, politicians need castes to keep their vote bank alive.


Caste is reality of nature. Hinduism was prudent to recognize it.
 
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A wise decision which shall no doubt be contested.

I wonder conversion to two religions has been kept out of the purview.
 
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Challenge it in SC and get it SC approved too !!
 
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Sweet Irony.

They very caste system used by the evangelists to convert hindus will not become their barrier for conversion :lol:

Finally some good did come from the Indian caste system :P
 
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I can understand about the SC part but the ST too really? So all the tribals in North East India like Nagas, Mizos Khasis, Bodos are non STs now? What a stupid decision...
Agreed. The courts have erred here. They should have excluded the STs of NE-India from this decision.

Many Tribals in NE-India(Mizo,Naga,Garo,Khasi etc) are actually Christian & have no Hindu past. Many of them were animists or shamanists or worshipped their ancestor & turned to Christianity when the British rule began & the Missionaries came.

By the way, I thought many Bodos were Hindus too?

@Nimitam @zootinali @halupridol what do you say?
 
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I can understand about the SC part but the ST too really? So all the tribals in North East India like Nagas, Mizos Khasis, Bodos are non STs now? What a stupid decision...
exactly.. since when STs are part of hindu religion.. this is bs.
 
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Hindus are defined as those not belonging to the Christian, Islamic, Zoroastrian, and Judaic faith in India. So tribals also fall within the ambit of Hinduism. This is what the census figures for religions in India exhibit.
 
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Time. Time. What that was "just" some years ago, isnt anymore. Humans should recognise, evolve and eradicate it.
Adapt with the times. We should strive to have a caste free generation.

You cannot eliminate caste but only caste discrimination.
 
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If the government , courts, etc keep recognising its citizens based on their caste then how will it come to an end? Its like trying to burn a matchstick in pool of water.
 
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Agreed. The courts have erred here. They should have excluded the STs of NE-India from this decision.

Many Tribals in NE-India(Mizo,Naga,Garo,Khasi etc) are actually Christian & have no Hindu past. Many of them were animists or shamanists or worshipped their ancestor & turned to Christianity when the British rule began & the Missionaries came.

By the way, I thought many Bodos were Hindus too?

@Nimitam @zootinali @halupridol what do you say?

Since reservation was formed for end "hindu discrimination" and there has been enough negative propaganda against it, I do not see why non Hindus should be offered reservation.

If the government , courts, etc keep recognising its citizens based on their caste then how will it come to an end? Its like trying to burn a matchstick in pool of water.

Caste is enshrined in the Indian constitution so it will NEVER end unless we burn the constitution or rewrite it.
 
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So reservation is allowed only for hindus?... Lets wait and see, which party announces first in their election manifesto, even other religious people will also get these SC ST reservations to attract more votes..
 
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Agreed. The courts have erred here. They should have excluded the STs of NE-India from this decision.

Many Tribals in NE-India(Mizo,Naga,Garo,Khasi etc) are actually Christian & have no Hindu past. Many of them were animists or shamanists or worshipped their ancestor & turned to Christianity when the British rule began & the Missionaries came.

By the way, I thought many Bodos were Hindus too?

@Nimitam @zootinali @halupridol what do you say?
All bodos are considered Hindus and very few are christians , although almost all follow the animistic rituals parallely with hindu traditions. Same is true for all other tribes of N.E , none have given up their animistic traditions with the adoption of newer religions.
 
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