Union Social Justice minister Thawar Chand Gehlot opposes UP government's move to include 17 OBC castes into SC list, says only Constitution can do so

Opposing the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government's move to include 17 OBC castes into the SC category, leader of BJP in Rajya Sabha and Union Social Justice minister, Thawar Chand Gehlot, on Tuesday, said in the upper parliamentary house that the UP government's decision was inappropriate as the Constitution holds that authority adding that the state government has to send a proposal for the move of castes.

"No Government Can Either Add Or Remove Any Caste From SC Category," Says BSP Supremo Mayawati Calling Yogi Adityanath's U.P Govt's Move 'unconstitutional'

Earlier on Monday, BSP Supremo  Mayawati slammed the Uttar Pradesh government for its decision to put 17 castes into Scheduled Caste category and called the move "unconstitutional" and politically motivated.

"It is reported in a section of media that 17 cases have been removed from the OBC category and put in SC category. Yogi Adityanath government has deceived them. They will not get the benefit from any of the categories," Mayawati told ANI adding, "No government can either put or remove any caste from SC category. Article 341 of the constitution bars a government from doing so."

Yogi Adityanath-led UP Government Includes 17 OBC Castes In The Scheduled Caste Category

Earlier on Friday, in a major push to include castes in the Scheduled Caste (SC) category, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government had added 17 castes including Kashyap, Mallah, Kumhar, Rajbhar, Prajapati, and others in the list of Scheduled Castes, according to ANI. Authorities have been directed to issue caste certificate to families belonging to these 17 castes.

The castes that have been added into this list are - Nishad, Bind, Mallah, Kewat, Kashyap, Bhar, Dhivar, Batham, Fisherman, Prajapati, Rajbhar, Kahar, Pottar, Dhimar, Manjhi, Tuhaha and Gaur, which previously belonged to the other backward caste (OBC) category, as per reports.

Previously, both the SP and BSP governments had attempted to include the above-mentioned castes into  SC category but failed to do so.