Tamil Nadu BJP Calls Supreme Court Ruling on Job-Related Religious Conversion a Historic Milestone

Chennai, Nov 28 (NationPress) The spokesperson for Tamil Nadu BJP and prominent party figure, ANS Prasad, labeled the Supreme Court’s ruling against religious conversion for government job advantages as a historic milestone.

He urged for strict actions against those in Tamil Nadu who have illegitimately acquired Scheduled Caste (SC) certificates to gain government employment.

The BJP representative called on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to facilitate the application of the Supreme Court’s judgement within the state.

The Supreme Court delivered its decision on Wednesday regarding an appeal made by Selvarani, a resident of Puducherry.

The court upheld a ruling from the Madras High Court that denied a Scheduled Caste certificate to a woman born into Christianity who asserted she was Hindu while applying for an Upper Division Clerk position in Puducherry.

Selvarani argued her eligibility for government job benefits, claiming her father was an SC Hindu.

ANS Prasad noted that Selvarani had applied for and won the position of a clerk within the Puducherry Union Territory Government.

However, during the verification process, it was discovered that she practiced Christianity.

Selvarani argued that her father's SC Hindu status should entitle her to SC benefits, but her application for an SC certificate was turned down by the Puducherry authorities.

Previously, the Madras High Court rejected her appeal, prompting her to take the matter to the Supreme Court.

In its verdict, the apex court stated: “Religious conversion must arise from authentic faith and belief in the tenets and doctrines of the new religion. Conversion solely for the purpose of benefiting from reservations cannot be permitted, as it undermines the core of the reservation policy. A person who genuinely practices Christianity cannot declare themselves as Hindu merely for government job advantages, as this constitutes constitutional fraud.”

Prasad praised the ruling as momentous and underscored its significance.

He asserted, “While the Constitution grants citizens the liberty to follow any religion, conversions within India are frequently not sincere.”

He elaborated that the reservation system was designed to elevate SC individuals who face caste-based discrimination within Hindu society.

Yet, converted individuals who assert their religion lacks caste still seek SC benefits, which he deemed unacceptable.

The BJP leader stressed that the Supreme Court’s ruling reaffirmed this viewpoint.

Despite converting many years ago, numerous individuals continue to fraudulently acquire SC certificates and exploit reservation benefits, he stated.

This matter extends beyond government jobs to reserved positions in Parliament, state assemblies, and local bodies, consequently depriving authentic SC individuals of their rightful opportunities, he argued.

Prasad referenced disputes in several elections, including the Chennai mayoral election and Assembly and parliamentary elections, where non-SC individuals contested in SC-reserved constituencies using counterfeit certificates.

He called for a thorough investigation into these instances. He urged the Tamil Nadu government to ensure that reservation benefits under the Constitution, as envisioned by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, are allocated to genuine SC individuals.

“This ongoing issue must be tackled with urgency. The Supreme Court’s ruling signifies a decisive end to this dilemma,” he added.

Prasad urged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who often promotes constitutional protection, to enforce the Supreme Court’s landmark decision. He insisted that the government verify SC certificates of individuals benefiting from reservations in government jobs and take stringent measures against those who converted solely for such advantages.

aal/rad