06-05-2025
Migrant SC people should get reservation benefit in Puducherry: CPI (M)
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has sought the intervention of Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy in resolving the long-pending issue faced by the migrant Scheduled Caste (SC) population in getting reservation benefits for employment and education opportunities in the Union Territory.
In a letter to the Chief Minister, party secretary S. Ramachandran said the Dalits constituted 16% of the population in Union Territory. According to statistics available with Puducherry government, 60% of the total SC population in UT are indigenous and 40% migrant. The territorial administration receives funds from the Centre for implementation of Scheduled Castes Sub Plan based on the total number of SC people. The number of seats reserved in the Assembly was also based on total SC population, the letter said.
'However, benefits of welfare schemes and reservation are provided only to the indigenous SC people. The government had issued a notification announcing reservation benefits to indigenous SC people alone. The order was quashed by the Supreme Court in 2014, but the government continues to ignore migrant population for reservation benefits. Only those individuals who gets individual reprieve from Court gets the benefit. The Chief Minister should find a solution to this,' the letter said.
Like for Other Backwards Castes and Most Backward Classes, the government should maintain 2001 as cut-off year for residential certificate and provide reservation benefits for SC migrant in jobs, promotions and education purpose. The native matrilineal descendants should also be given Native Scheduled Caste Certificate without any gender discrimination, the letter said.
'The government should stop discriminating the Dalit community on the basis of indigenous and migrant. It is a fact that migrant people played a significant role in the liberation struggle, social, cultural history and social development of Puducherry. Dalits cannot be left out on this. The government should find a solution to the issue,' Mr. Ramachandran said.
