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          According to the proposed amendments and notifications, Pulluvan is to be included along with Palluvan at Serial Number 46 and inclusion of Thachar in Serial Number 61 along with Thandan in the Scheduled Caste List of Kerala State. In Madhya Pradesh, Dahiya is to be included along with Dahait, Dahayat, Dahat at Serial Number 18 in the Scheduled Castes List.

          In Odisha, Amata, Amath are to be included at Serial Number 2, and Bajia at Serial Number 13, Jaggili and Jagli at Serial Number 41, Buna Pano at Serial Number 69 in its Scheduled Caste List. There is one more amendment with regard to the change of the heading of Part XIII–Orissa to Part XIII–Odisha.

          I have continuously been pressing this demand of the ambiguity in Koli-Kori and written letters to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India and also Delhi Government, but no action has been taken so far. In this regard, I would like to mention an Office Note of the Chairman, SC/ST Infrastructure Development Committee of Delhi Government, which is self-explanatory. I would like to quote a few lines of that Note. It says:

“This is in connection with the inclusion of Kori Caste as synonym of Koli caste in the SC List of Delhi. I am to refer to your letter F.N. 44(8)/DSCST/2002-03/8056 dated 6.11.2007 wherein the representation of Delhi Pradesh Koli Samaj Kalyan Sangh (Regd.) was sent to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi. You may perhaps be aware that Kori and Koli are used as synonym in almost all the States in India. It is only in Delhi that this discrepancy has crept in. It is a matter of common knowledge that Kori and Koli are synonymous and they belong to the same community and creed. It may also be stated that by using this synonymous name, no additional caste or community is added to the list. In fact, they are the same and one caste. Therefore, there should not be any hesitation in undertaking this change.”             Similarly it is to be mentioned here that BERWA is in SC List in Rajasthan whereas in other States it is in OBC.

          The process of including new castes is a time-tested process. It is not that the Minister alone does anything. The State Government sends the proposal. Then, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment sends it to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, of which Shri Punia is the Chairman. Then, it goes to the Registrar-General of India. After approval from both of them, it comes to the Parliament. This whole list has also gone through the whole process. So, nobody can have objection to it. Here in Parliament, there is no point in demanding for inclusion of any new caste in the list of Scheduled Castes because even if the Minister wants, she cannot include any new caste in it without going through the whole rigmarole. The important thing that has been debated / mentioned here is the question of reservation. Why is it included? Why is it important for the caste to be included in the list to get the benefit of reservation, which is given according to Article 16 (4) of the Constitution?

          With these words, I wish to conclude my speech and thank you again for allowing me to speak.

 SHRI MOHAN JENA (JAJPUR): Thank you for giving me an opportunity to speak on this issue. Sir, I would like to ventilate my views on the Bill namely, Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2012.  On behalf of my party Biju Janata Dal, I whole-heartedly support the provisions provided in the Bill.  In this Bill, section 2 clause ‘c’ is about the spelling of my State name Odisha and a few substitute for the Entry in serial numbers 2, 13, 41 and 69 in reference to Presidential order of Odisha.  Sir, these are minor modifications so far as Odisha is concerned.  The Central Government is completely silent on major issues which are affecting the interests of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Odisha. Our State Government repeatedly recommended the exclusion of Dewar caste which is in the list in serial number 24 from the list of Scheduled Caste of Odisha but the Central Government is deliberately silent on this issue.  Similarly, our Government recommended the inclusion of ‘Tiar/Tior’ Community in the list of Scheduled Castes in Odisha.  The total population of ‘Tiar/Tior’ in Odisha is 1.5 lakh. Ninety-nine per cent of Tiar/Tior people are landless.  They are educationally, socially extremely backward and suffer from untouchability and social discrimination.  The traditional occupation of ‘Tior/Tiar’ people is fishing by khepa net and by Pulua. Since 1990, ‘Tior/Tiar’ communities have been demanding to include their caste name in the list of Scheduled Castes but of vain.  So, the Government should take appropriate steps to include them immediately.  In the present day, every Government is debating the fundamental modalities, principles for deciding claims for inclusion in and exclusion from and other modification in the List of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes due to political compulsion. This is a very unwanted trend which is diluting the basic principle of the Indian Constitution. As you know, the criteria for inclusion of caste etc., in the List of Scheduled Castes is extremely social, educational and economic backwardness arising out of traditional practice of untouchability and not poverty. This modality should not be debated at any moment. So, it is the duty of the Union Government to implement the constitutional provision in order to safeguard the interests of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. With these words, I support the Bill wholeheartedly.