Following in the unedited text of Comrade T.K. Rangarajan, made in Rajya Sabha on 24th February, 2015 on the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2014:
Mr. Vice-Chairman, Sir, I am supporting the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2014 for including some more Scheduled Castes in the list. After 65 years, we are still identifying State after State. We have to come to a final solution. So, I, on behalf of my Party, suggest that there must be a Commission and that Commission should go to every State. People have become conscious. They identify their caste and then they apply. It comes here after 10 years or 15 years. I request the Government to come out with some mechanism to include the rest of the SCs and STs in the list. As recommended by the Standing Committee, the socio-economic survey be conducted by the Ministry of Rural Development and the Ministry of Urban Development, and it should be completed at the earliest. This will facilitate the Government to find out which caste has to be included and which caste has not to be included. This has to be done at the earliest possible. This is my first suggestion. Secondly, you are increasing the number. But the reservation stands as it is. You have to find out some way without affecting other reservations. You must provide some cushion to the incoming Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. You have to find it out. Thirdly, now there is no Planning Commission. What are you going to do with the SC and ST Sub-Plan? Already, Sub-Plans have been misused. We have seen it. My colleague, Shri Veer Singh, has just now spoken about the Sub-Plan money being siphoned off during the Commonwealth Games. This is happening in so many States. You have no right to take that money. The money allotted for SCs and STs should be spent only on them for their future. There must be some strict approach towards tightening the regulation. Otherwise, what happens is, people do not have mouth. They will not cry, they will keep quiet. My final point is about dalit Christians and dalit Muslims. When you are able to bring Buddhist dalits and sikh dalits into the Dalit list, why not Christians and Muslims? Some time back, our former Prime Minister received a delegation. He had assured them that the dalit Christian community would be included in the SC and ST list. I feel that the Government should consider this also. With these words, I support the Bill. (Ends)