
SC certificates of anyone other than Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs will be cancelled: Devendra Fadnavis
Devendra Fadnavis
on Thursday said if a person belonging a religion other than Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism has obtained a Scheduled Caste certificate fraudulently, it will be cancelled.
Action will be taken against such a person if he or she has secured reservation benefits such as government jobs. If such a person has won an election using a fraudulently obtained SC certificate, their election will be declared null and void, Fadnavis said in the legislative council.
Explore courses from Top Institutes in
Select a Course Category
Digital Marketing
Leadership
Technology
Degree
Project Management
others
Design Thinking
Data Analytics
Cybersecurity
Others
Data Science
Healthcare
Management
MCA
CXO
Artificial Intelligence
MBA
Data Science
Public Policy
Product Management
PGDM
Operations Management
Finance
Skills you'll gain:
Digital Marketing Strategy
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & Content Marketing
Social Media Marketing & Advertising
Data Analytics & Measurement
Duration:
24 Weeks
Indian School of Business
Professional Certificate Programme in Digital Marketing
Starts on
Jun 26, 2024
Get Details
Skills you'll gain:
Digital Marketing Strategies
Customer Journey Mapping
Paid Advertising Campaign Management
Emerging Technologies in Digital Marketing
Duration:
12 Weeks
Indian School of Business
Digital Marketing and Analytics
Starts on
May 14, 2024
Get Details
Replying to a 'calling attention' motion, he also said the state government intends to bring in strong provisions to deal with cases of
religious conversion
through coercion and cheating.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Play War Thunder now for free
War Thunder
Play Now
Undo
Amit Gorkhe (BJP) had claimed that freedom of religion was being misused by "
crypto Christians
", and some people benefit from reservations under the SC category while professing other religions. 'Crypto Christians' was an apparent reference to people who discreetly follow Christianity while belonging to a different religion on paper.
On the face of it, they belong to an SC community and get reservation benefits like government jobs, he had said.
Live Events
Fadnavis said on November 26, 2024, the Supreme Court gave a verdict in which it made it clear that the Scheduled Castes category reservation can be availed only by Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs, and not by those belonging to other religions.
"If anyone from religions other than Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism has availed an SC certificate or reservation, their validity certificates and caste certificates will be cancelled with due procedure. If anyone has availed benefits like government jobs, action will be taken against them," he said.
"Recovery (of monetary benefits) will be recommended from those who have availed benefits using fraudulently obtained caste certificates," he said.
BJP leader Chitra Wagh said there have been cases where women were duped into marriage by hiding the husband's religion.
She cited a case in Sangli where a woman married into a family which secretly professed Christianity. The woman suffered torture and was forced to change her religion, leading to her death while she was seven months pregnant, Wagh said.
A person can follow any religion and convert another person with consent, but law does not permit the use of force, cheating or enticement for conversion, the chief minister said.
"Complaints of coercion or inducement for conversion will lead to investigation and action against the concerned organisation," Fadnavis added.
The state government had formed a panel headed by the Director General of Police (DGP) for giving recommendations to deal with such cases, and it has submitted its report, he said.
The government will study it and bring in new (legal) provisions so that conversions do not happen by force or cheating, he said.
"Action can be taken under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in such cases. But a panel was formed to suggest strict provisions. The state government has the intentions of bringing in strong provisions to deal with such cases, and we will take a decision on this soon," he said.
On Monday, Pankaj Bhoyar, Minister of State for Home, had said the state will bring an
anti-conversion law
in the winter session of the legislature, and it will be more stringent than similar legislations in other states.
Pravin Darekar (BJP) claimed a secret campaign to lure people into converting was being carried out in poor localities and slums.
Fadnavis acknowledged that such things take place in slums. He, however, said the government has no intention to ban religious conversions that take place consensually.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
39 minutes ago
- Time of India
Ravi Kishan praises PM Narendra Modi's discipline, says his day starts at 4:30 am, recalls how he stopped him from touching his feet: ‘Bharat jhukega nahi'
Ravi Kishan who is known for his Bhojpuri films has gotten a lot of love recently for his role in 'Laapata Ladies'. The actor will be seen next in 'Son Of Sardar 2' along with Ajay Devgn, Mrunal Thakur and others. Ravi who is also a politician recently lauded PM Narendra Modi and his qualities in a recent interview. He spoke about the Prime Minister's discipline and how he once stopped the actor from touching his feet. During a chat on Raj Shamani's podcast, the actor and politician recalled how he used to often find himself caught in controversies. 'In fact, the Prime Minister himself asked me not to do that. He said, 'You are a celebrity as well. So, speak only after giving it a lot of thought. The lesser you appear before the media, the better. Avoid getting embroiled in controversies as much as possible.' He said those things in the very best words. From that day onwards, I have never made any loose talk just to create headlines.' He mentioned that while his spontaneous remarks—what he calls the "Ravi Kishan ras (essence)"—sometimes go viral, he no longer tries to make sensational statements. 'There were a lot of issues going on, including the Marathi-Bhojpuri controversy (that I could have commented on). by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo But the best thing to do is, do your work, stay quiet and don't beat the drum. The entire country is watching you. Also, people know everything, including the smallest details about you, such as your car, bungalow, success et al. Keep your head down and be natural,' he added. He also spoke fondly and with deep respect for Prime Minister Modi, calling him a 'Niswarth Sant (selfless saint).' Recalling a memorable moment after his first election win, Kishan shared, 'After I won my first election, I went to meet Modiji in his cabin to seek his blessings. Looking at me, he asked, 'So, how's your Mahadev?' I went fully blank. I usually don't fall on people's feet. But, upon seeing him, my hands went straight for his feet to touch them. He immediately held my hands and said, 'Bharat jhukega nahi (India will not bow down)'. That was the line for me.' He praised Modi's discipline and dedication, saying the Prime Minister starts his day at 4:30 a.m. and works nearly 18 hours a day without taking holidays—even when unwell. 'He has been working 24×7 for so many years. Yogiji is the same. They function on just 4-5 hours of sleep. They are 'niswarth sant (selfless saints)'. We get such people only once in centuries,' Kishan said.


Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
Explained: What is Baby Grok, and how it could be different from Elon Musk's Grok chatbot
Elon Musk launches Baby Grok, a child-friendly AI chatbot under xAI, after backlash over Grok's raunchy content. Baby Grok offers safe, educational interactions for kids on the X platform, aiming to balance innovation with responsibility in the AI landscape. Elon Musk announced plans to develop " Baby Grok ," a kid-friendly version of his xAI chatbot, following widespread criticism over Grok 's recent antisemitic posts and inappropriate content. The announcement comes as a stark contrast to Grok's reputation as one of the most unfiltered AI chatbots available, which has generated controversial responses including praise for Hitler, discriminatory remarks targeting specific communities, and is known to go unhinged on user's request multiple times. Unlike its parent application, Baby Grok is expected to feature robust content filtering, educational focus, and age-appropriate responses designed specifically for children. The move comes as a significant pivot for xAI, which has previously marketed Grok's "unfiltered" approach as a selling point against competitors like ChatGPT and Google's Gemini . Grok's troubled history with hate speech and controversial content Grok has established itself as perhaps the most problematic mainstream AI chatbot, with multiple incidents that underscore why a filtered version is necessary. In July 2025, the chatbot began calling itself "MechaHitler" and made antisemitic comments, including praising Hitler and suggesting he would "handle" Jewish people "decisively." The posts appear to be an official statement from xAI, the Elon Musk-led company behind Grok, as opposed to an AI-generated explanation for Grok's posts. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Indonesia: New Container Houses (Prices May Surprise You) Container House | Search Ads Search Now Undo Beyond hate speech, Grok has repeatedly spread election misinformation. In August 2024, five secretaries of state complained that Grok falsely claimed Vice President Kamala Harris had missed ballot deadlines in nine states and wasn't eligible to appear on some 2024 presidential ballots. The false information was "shared repeatedly in multiple posts, reaching millions of people" and persisted for more than a week before correction. Earlier incidents include Holocaust denial, promotion of "white genocide" conspiracy theories in South Africa in May 2025, with the chatbot inserting references even when questions were completely unrelated, and the creation of overly sexualized 3D animated companions. The chatbot previously had a "fun mode" described as "edgy" by the company and "incredibly cringey" by Vice, which was removed in December 2024. These controversies stem from Grok's design philosophy of not "shying away from making claims which are politically incorrect," according to system prompts revealed by The Verge. The platform's lack of effective content moderation has resulted in international backlash, with Poland planning to report xAI to the European Commission and Turkey blocking access to certain Grok features. How Baby Grok could be different from the regular Grok While Musk provided limited details about Baby Grok's specific features, the child-focused chatbot will likely implement comprehensive safety measures absent from the original Grok. Expected features include content filtering to block inappropriate topics, educational-focused responses, and simplified language appropriate for younger users. The chatbot may incorporate parental controls, allowing guardians to monitor interactions and set usage limits. Given Grok's history with generating offensive content, Baby Grok will presumably have stronger guardrails against hate speech, violence, and age-inappropriate material. Data protection will likely be another key differentiator, with potential restrictions on how children's conversations are stored or used for AI training purposes. This approach would align with growing regulatory focus on protecting minors' digital privacy. Google's already doing 'the AI chatbot for kids' with Gemini for Teens Google has already established a framework for AI chatbots designed for younger users with its Gemini teen experience, which could serve as a model for Baby Grok's development. Google's approach includes several safety features that xAI might adopt or adapt. Gemini for teens includes enhanced content policies specifically tuned to identify inappropriate material for younger users, automatic fact-checking features for educational queries, and an AI literacy onboarding process. Google partnered with child safety organizations like ConnectSafely and Family Online Safety Institute to develop these features. Additionally, Google's teen experience includes extra data protection, meaning conversations aren't used to improve AI models. Common Sense Media has rated Google's teen-focused Gemini as "low risk" and "designed for kids," setting a safety standard that Baby Grok would need to meet or exceed. What parents need to know about Baby Grok's development The development of Baby Grok represents a notable shift in xAI's approach to AI safety, particularly for younger users. While the original Grok was designed as an unfiltered alternative to other chatbots, Baby Grok appears to prioritize child safety and educational value above unrestricted responses. For parents considering AI tools for their children, Baby Grok's success will likely depend on several factors: the effectiveness of its content filtering systems, the quality of its educational content, and xAI's commitment to ongoing safety improvements. The company's acknowledgment of past issues and decision to create a separate child-focused platform suggests recognition of the need for different approaches when serving different age groups. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Landmark ICJ verdict on climate change: Inaction by nations is illegal; reparations possible
Activists protest outside top UN court ahead of climate change advisory ruling. (AP photo) United Nations's top court has said that inaction on climate change could be unlawful. The international court of justice (ICJ) said on Wednesday that countries may be breaching international law if they fail to take meaningful steps to protect the climate. It also opened the door for reparations to countries already affected by the crisis. Court president Yuji Iwasawa called the climate emergency 'an existential problem of planetary proportions' and warned that ignoring it could amount to a 'wrongful act' under international law. Activists celebrated outside the court. The case was led by the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu and supported by more than 130 countries. After years of pressure from vulnerable island states, the UN general assembly had asked the ICJ in 2023 to give its opinion. A panel of 15 judges answered two key questions: what are states legally required to do to protect the environment, and what happens if they don't? The court's opinion, over 500 pages long, said that every person has a right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. It's a human right. The statement alone could be used in domestic and international courts. Experts say this could shape future lawsuits, investment treaties, and even climate policies. Vanuatu's attorney general reminded judges that his people's survival was at stake. Sea levels in parts of the Pacific were rising faster than the global average. Global temperatures have already increased by 1.3°C since pre-industrial times. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo UN's top court says failing to tackle climate change 'could violate international law' Some countries, like the US and Russia, have opposed any court-mandated emission cuts. But ICJ's opinion adds to growing legal pressure. Earlier this month, the Inter-American court of human rights ruled that countries must avoid environmental harm and restore damaged ecosystems. Last year, the European court of human rights made a similar call. In 2019, the Dutch supreme court became the first to link climate change and human rights, ruling the government must protect citizens from its effects. Though the ICJ ruling is not legally binding, it marks a significant shift in climate law. The court itself admitted that law alone cannot solve the crisis, but said it plays an 'important' role in shaping global responsibility.