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The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021

Posted on March 20, 2021 by admin1  2234

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Recently, Lok Sabha passed the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

Background

  • The Bill amends the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 to modify the list of Scheduled Castes in the state of Tamil Nadu.
  • The Bill replaces the entry for the Devendrakulathan community with Devendra Kula Vellalar which includes Devendrakulathan, Kalladi, Kudumban, Pallan, Pannadi and Vathiriyan.
  • Some members of the community wanted to be removed from the SC list and added to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) list.
    • The social argument by the Devendrakula Vellalars is that they were put on the SC list after being ill-treated. But even as SC’s they have faced a lot of discrimination and would want to have respect given to them in society.
  • In this regard, Members of the Devendrakula Vellalar had met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to press for their demand since 2015.

Key Highlights of the Bill

  • It seeks to put seven castes under one nomenclature of “Devendrakula Vellalars” with some exceptions for some of the castes in certain districts of Tamil Nadu.
    • The castes include Devendrakulathan, Kadaiyan, Kalladi, Kudumban, Pallan, Pannadi and Vathiriyan.
    • No caste is being added or deleted. These seven castes would be regrouped adding that the old caste certificates would not be removed.
  • The new law also replaces the entry for the Kadaiyan community and creates a distinction for the community based on residence.
    • This includes members of the Kadaiyan community from the districts of Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam.
    • Members of the Kadaiyan community living in other districts are included in the Devendrakula Vellalar grouping.
  • It may be noted that Article 341 of the Constitution empowers the President to specify the list of Scheduled Castes in various States and Union Territory.

About Devendrakula Vellalar community

 

  • The Devendrakula Vellalar community had been in ancient times, warriors and agriculturists and had gradually lost their status over time.
  • They were mentioned in Tamil Sangam literature.
    • They initiated all temple car pullings and this community even owned land and voted during the British Raj.
  • They are also called Pallars in Tamil Nadu. They are listed under the Scheduled Caste category.
    • The word Pallar is derived from the Tamil word called Pallam meaning a low-lying area.
    • While Pallars are largely peasants and cultivators in the lower wetlands, conditions such as poverty and drought forced them to take up other menial jobs.
  • The total SC population in Tamil Nadu, according to the 2011 census, is 20 percent, of whom, the Pallars comprise nearly 17.07 per cent.
  • The seven communities combined have a presence in 28 of Tamil Nadu’s 33 districts.
    • They, however, are largely concentrated in southern Tamil Nadu, particularly Madurai, a region that could determine the electoral future of political parties and governments in the state.

Source:TH

 
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