ICC Note:

The Chief Minister of India’s Bihar state has called for low caste Christians and Muslims to be able to receive equal treatment in the government’s low caste benefits schemes. In India, Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists from low caste backgrounds receive benefits and subsidies from the government to help them break out of the oppression of the caste system. These benefits and subsidies have not been extended to Christians and Muslims from low caste backgrounds, leaving millions affected by the caste system suffering because of their religious identity. Will India listen to one of its own and start treating Christians and Muslims from low caste backgrounds equally?

4/11/2016 India (Jantaka Reporter) – Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, on Saturday said that Dalit Muslims and Christians should be included in Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribes category.

Kumar also advocated for increasing reservation beyond 50 percent in view of the population growth among SC/ST groups adding that the reservations for them must also be extending to the private sector as well.

“If population of SC is increasing the quota of reservation should also increase and if in Tamil Nadu the reservation can be 69 percent reservation combining SC, ST and OBC then why it can’t be implemented in entire country? There needs to be a strong willpower to implement it,” Ku mar was quoted by news agency ANI.

The Bihar chief minister was speaking at a function, where he was also honored with K. Veeramani award.

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