Gujarat HC notice to Congress MLA over Scheduled Caste status

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court Monday issued notices to Congress MLA from the city Shailesh Parmar, Director of Scheduled Caste Welfare and others in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) questioning the legislator's caste.

Petitioner Ratna Vora, a lawyer, claims that Parmar, the MLA from Danilimda constituency, has falsely claimed to be belonging to a Sheduled Caste. The constituency is reserved for SCs.

Parmar is a Marwari Vankar and not a Hindu Vankar as claimed by him, it says, adding that the Marwari Vankar community which migrated from Rajasthan centuries ago does not enjoy the status of a Scheduled Caste.

As per `Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order-1950,' only Hindu Vankar community falls in SC category, it says.

Parmar claimed to be a Hindu Vankar to claim the benefits of being member of a Scheduled Caste, it alleges.

The petitioner has also provided documents to show that Parmar's father and uncle never claimed that they were Hindu Vankars.

After hearing the arguments today, the division bench of acting Chief Justice V M Sahai and Justice R P Dholaria issued notices to Parmar, the Director of Scheduled Caste Welfare, the Additional Chief Secretary, Social Justice, the President of State Caste Scrutiny Committee and the Marwari Jan Kalyan Trust.

The replies are to be filed by August 3.