Recently, the Lok Sabha has passed Jammu and Kashmir (Constitution) Schedule Caste Amendment order and extended the Schedule Tribes status to Pahari, Valmiki, Gadda Brahmins and Koli communities. Now the Rajya Sabha has also cleared the bill, therefore fulfilling the long pending demand of these communities who were bereft of socioeconomic opportunities for decades all together.
The BJP behind the move was instrumental and have been pitching for their inclusion in the category though serious apprehensions were shared by Gujjar and Bakerwal communities already entitled for the benefits under the same category.
It was being feared by these people that the fresh inclusion of other categories would minimize their opportunities to avail the benefits of jobs and education besides the benefits in other social spheres. The government, however, has allayed the fears of these communities and as per the government statement no category would overpower the other category in seeking the opportunities under the status.
Manoj Sinha administration said that all the communities would be granted 10 per cent reservation under sub categories separately therefore , no one has to fear. Sinha was bit a political and blamed the local political parties for politicising the issue and said that they have been exploiting people of the same categories for last seventy years.
It is true that these communities are witnessing systematic socioeconomic empowerment under the regime of BJP. The party with its own interests has a strong arithmetic to understand electoral dynamics. It aims before the Assembly elections to win at least a majority of seats and it knows where to strike at what time.
BJP will certainly encash the move ahead of Lok Sabha elections subsequently to ensure its impact remains on Assembly polls if held anytime soon. If these constituencies may not help it to succeed but they can potentially damage the prospectus of other political opponents of BJP.
Traditionally, these socioeconomically backward communities vote in large numbers and are decisively deciding over the fate of candidates. BJP’s calculation is to reach out to the corners which can dent it’s opponents since it has managed to keep its bastion safe from intrusion.
