http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/Child_with_non-Dalit_dad_may_get_SC_tag/articleshow/1055395.cms
Child with non-Dalit dad may get SC tag Subodh Ghildiyal [ 5 Jan, 2007 0143hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ] NEW DELHI: Brushing aside objections from the National Commission for SCs, the social justice ministry (MSJ) is pressing ahead for SC status to a child with either of the parents from the Dalit community. NCSC had raised fears that giving SC status to a child born to a non-Dalit father in a mixed-Dalit marriage would be prone to misuse by general categories besides triggering an unfair competition for reservation benefits between wards of SC fathers and non-SC fathers and increasing the number of beneficiaries for reservation benefits. MSJ has rejected the Dalit panel's objections as militating against the principle of "gender equality", for which the change is being sought. Presently, the caste of a child is to be derived from the father. A note has been circulated to seek cabinet approval for amendment to the constitutional order, 1950, to enable a "gender-neutral" policy. MSJ's move, limited to Dalits, could push the tribal affairs ministry into clarifying its stand on the issue vis-a-vis STs. Significantly, JMM founder and senior tribal leader Shibu Soren had protested that the proposed law would open floodgates for "outsiders" to use marriage to usurp tribal property. In a letter to minister Meira Kumar as well as NCSC, the then coal minister had argued that if ST status was available to offsprings of non-tribal fathers, non-STs would marry tribal women to usurp their property. Observers, however, argue the complicated issue cannot be rejected simply for fears of "misuse". Inter-caste marriages, especially those between Dalits and non-Dalits, have failed to pick up and caste remains a big roadblock in social unity and progress. "How many non-Dalits will actually marry an SC woman just for property or quota benefits for their children?" wondered an official, rejecting the objections. Caste status of a child with mixed parentage seems to be covering quite a journey. It was settled that caste of such a child would depend on his upbringing — if the influence of Dalit parent is more or otherwise. Supreme Court in 2003 had ruled that caste in Indian context flows from the father, thereby clarifying that a child of a non-Dalit father cannot be a Dalit. -- Subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a BLANK email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
