Mazhabi Sikhs/Balmikis To Push For 12.5% Quota In Education Too

 According to Times of India “ After the Supreme Court has upheld powers of the state govts to create sub-classification within the reserved categories for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes — 

which secures the 12.5% reservation of Mazhabi Sikhs/Balmikis in Punjab — the community is set to push for this reservation in education also in the state.

The 12.5% reservation within 25% SC reservation in Punjab was only in govt jobs and not being followed in education. Organisations of Mazhabi Sikh/Balmiki community are already holding discussions to push for reservation in education too.

“There is big relief within the Mazhabi Sikh/Balmiki community that the Supreme Court has put its seal on the sub-categorisation for reservation in Punjab, which was started in 1975. Organisations of the community and other members of the community are holding meetings to get it implemented in education also as the SC judgment provides this sub-categorization not only in jobs but also in education. I have attended three meetings in Jalandhar, Patiala and Ludhiana in the last few days, where community representatives discussed that they should now represent to the Punjab govt to implement 12.5% reservation in educational institutions also,” said retired PCS officer G K Sabharwal, who is patron of Balmiki/Mazhabi Sikh 12.5% Reservation Bachao Morcha.

Adi Dharam Samaj founder and head Darshan Ratan Rawan said that organisations of the community would be sending representations to the Punjab govt for providing 12.5% reservation in educational institutions also. “This is where empowerment really starts. Our community members have been lagging much behind as they come from the lowest step of the caste ladder and still remain socially and economically behind other SC communities,” he added.

Both Sabharwal and Rawan said that their organisations did not at all support the Bharat Bandh call, given by some Dalit organisations, on Aug 21 against the apex court judgement decision as their community supported and welcomed the judgment.

On August 13, in Kapurthala, community organisations also submitted a memorandum addressed to Punjab CM through deputy commissioner for implementing the SC judgement in all spheres, including education.

Some other organisations of the Mazhabi Sikhs and Balmikis have already openly expressed their opposition to Bharat Bandh call.

Bahujan Samaj Party on Monday announced its participation in the Bharat Bandh on Aug 21. Earlier, BSP supremo Mayawati expressed disagreement with the judgment. “The sub-classification of people within Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) has been permitted, our party doesn't agree with it at all,” she had said in a press conference on August 4.