Madhya Pradesh BJP MP Guman Singh Damor starts campaign seeking withdrawal of quota benefits of tribal converts

File Photo

BJP MP Guman Singh Damor on Sunday said he had been organising ‘delisting’ rallies across Madhya Pradesh for the past few days seeking that tribals who convert to any other religion must not be given reservations mandated for Scheduled Tribes.

The Lok Sabha MP from Ratlam-Jhabua constituency, himself a tribal, said Article 342 of the Constitution speaks of reservations for STs but is silent on those (tribals) who convert to other religions, while Article 341 of the Constitution is clear that members of Scheduled Caste communities will be deprived of reservations if they convert.

"We have been organising delisting rallies in all tribal-dominated districts, including 22 such districts of Madhya Pradesh. Our demand is that any ST who converts to another religion should be deprived of reservation benefits (in government jobs and admission)," he said.

"I have held three rallies in Jhabua, Alirajpur and Ratlam to create public awareness about delisting such people who are enjoying reservation benefits even after religious conversion,? Damor added.

The aim was to create awareness so that laws to this effect can be passed in the Parliament, adding that similar ‘delisting’ efforts were made in 1970 but in vain.

Hitting back, state Youth Congress chief Vikrant Bhuria tweeted a clipped video of Damor and said the latter should be "ashamed as he himself is an MP from an ST reserved seat".

Bhuria demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan clarify their stands on this statement, adding that Damor's move was making it clear that "the BJP's love for tribals and the deprived classes was just a gimmick".

After several others tweeted the clipped video uploaded by Bhuria, Damor, who shared the video in in its entirety, threatened legal action.

Reacting to Damor's statements, Jhabua Christian Diocese public relation officer Rocky Shah said some people wanted to achieve their vested interests by linking this ‘delisting’ campaign to Christians.