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

Posted on March 20, 2021 by admin1  56

In News

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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