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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article may require copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone, or spelling. You can assist by editing it. (November 2012) This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. No cleanup reason has been specified. Please help improve this article if you can. (October 2010) The Scheduled Castes (SCs)[1] and the Scheduled Tribes (STs) are two groupings of historically disadvantaged people that are given express recognition in the Constitution of India. During the period of British rule in the Indian sub-continent they were known as the Depressed Classes. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up around 15% and 7.5% respectively of the population of India, or around 24% altogether, according to the 2001 Census.[2] The proportion of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the country's population has steadily risen since independence in 1947. The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 lists 1,108 castes across 25 states in its First Schedule,[3] while the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 lists 744 tribes across 22 states in its First Schedule.[4] Since Independence, the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes (all three categories combined together constitute about 60 percent of India's population) were given provision of "Reservation" policy. The reservation policy became an integral part of the Constitution through the efforts of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. He participated in the Round Table Conferences and fought for the rights of the Oppressed and Depressed Classes. The Constitution lays down general principles for the policy of affirmative action for the SCs and STs.
Contents
1 History 2 Constitutional framework for safeguarding of interests o 2.1 National commissions 2.1.1 History 3 Distribution 4 Scheduled Caste Sub-Plan 5 Prominent personalities of SC and ST communities 6 See also 7 Notes
8 External links
History
From the 1850s these communities were loosely referred to as the "Depressed Classes", or "Adivasis" (literally, original inhabitants). The early part of the 20th century saw a flurry of activity in the British Raj to assess the feasibility of responsible self-government for India. The Morley-Minto Reforms Report, MontaguChelmsford Reforms Report, and the Simon Commission were some of the initiatives that happened in this context. One of the hotly contested issues in the proposed reforms was the reservation of seats for the "depressed" classes in provincial and central legislatures. In 1935 the British passed the Government of India Act 1935, designed to give Indian provinces greater self-rule and set up a national federal structure. Reservation of seats for the Depressed Classes was incorporated into the act, which came into force in 1937.[5] The Act brought the term "Scheduled Castes" into use, and defined the group as including "such castes, races or tribes or parts of groups within castes, races or tribes, which appear to His Majesty in Council to correspond to the classes of persons formerly known as the 'Depressed Classes', as His Majesty in Council may prefer".[6] This discretionary definition was clarified in The Government of India (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1936, which contained a list, or Schedule, of castes throughout the British administered provinces. After independence, the Constituent Assembly continued the prevailing definition of Scheduled Castes and Tribes, and gave (via articles 341, 342) the President of India and Governors of states responsibility to compile a full listing of castes and tribes, and also the power to edit it later as required. The actual complete listing of castes and tribes was made via two orders The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950,[7] and The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1958[8] respectively.
3. Development - Provide for resources and benefits to bridge the wide gap in social and economic condition between the SCs/STs and other communities.
National commissions
To effectively implement the various safeguards built into the Constitution and other legislations, the Constitution, under Articles 338 and 338A, provides for two statutory commissions - the National Commission for Scheduled Castes,[10] and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.[11] The chairpersons of both commissions sit ex-officio on the National Human Rights Commission. History In the original Constitution, Article 338 provided for a Special Officer, called the Commissioner for SCs and STs, to have the responsibility of monitoring the effective implementation of various safeguards for SCs/STs in the Constitution as well as other related legislations and to report to the President. To enable efficient discharge of duties, 17 regional offices of the Commissioner were set up all over the country. In the meanwhile there was persistent representation for a replacement of the Commissioner with a multi-member committee. It was proposed that the 48th Amendment to the Constitution be made to alter Article 338 to enable said proposal. While the amendment was being debated, the Ministry of Welfare issued an administrative decision to establish the Commission for SCs/STs as a multi-member committee to discharge the same functions as that of the Commissioner of SCs/STs. The first commission came into being in August 1978. The functions of the commission were modified in September 1987 to advise Government on broad policy issues and levels of development of SCs/STs. In 1990 that the Article 338 was amended to give birth to the statutory National Commission for SCs and STs via the Constitution (Sixty fifth Amendment) Bill, 1990.[12] The first Commission under the 65th Amendment was constituted in March 1992 replacing the Commissioner for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and the Commission set up under the Ministry of Welfare's Resolution of 1989. In 2003, the Constitution was again amended to split the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes into two separate commissions - the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.
Distribution
According to the 61st Round Survey of the NSSO, almost nine-tenths of Buddhists in India belonged to scheduled castes of the Constitution while one-third of Christians belonged to scheduled tribes. Major part of scheduled castes were Hindus by religion but belonged to castes and tribes having low population. The Sachar Committee report of 2006 also confirmed that members of scheduled castes and tribes of India are not exclusively adherents of Hinduism.
Religion Scheduled Caste Scheduled Tribe Buddhism 89.50% 7.40% Christianity 9.00% 32.80% Sikhism 17.0% 0.90% Hinduism 22.20% 9.10% Gond 15.90% Jainism 2.60% Islam 0.80% 0.50% Percentage of each religion's adherents that belong to a scheduled caste/tribe. (Not the distribution of religions among the scheduled castes/tribes.)
HISTORY OF SC, ST, AND OBC PEOPLE Generally brahminical people say that Indian history is SANATHAN (beginning is out of reach to history). But that is nonsense. Indian history begins with Indus valley civilization.
2: Aryan invasion:
***Aryans are present day BRAHMINS, KSHYATRIYAS, AND VYSHYAS in India.*** Aryan Invasions took place between 2000BC to 1000BC. They came in batch after batch from the regions of Central Asia (Present Iran), through the north west corner of India. Aryans are basically Pastoral Nomadics with Barbaric, Cunning and Cruel Mind. These people are fair in complexion. They followed Paternal System and Worshipped Indra, Agni etc. They spoke Sanskrit language. They brought Horse with them, which was not known to Indians(mulnivasis) till then. Aryans daily life include Yagnas, Sacrifices, Alcoholism, Sexual immorality.
They formulated a stupid theory saying that Brahmins came from the mouth of Brahma, Kshatriyas came from the shoulders of Brahma, Vyshyas came from the thighs/stomach of Brahma. (note:This is not accepted by science. Does any body with a little bit of commonsence believe this foolish theory?) By this theory, Brahmins reserved all religious rights, Kshatriyas reserved the rights to rule, and Vyshyas reserved the rights over economy. They developed the Concept of Dwijatva(twice born-again a foolish theory) after Upanayana, and Brahmins started claiming more rights, by declaring themselves as next to Brahma, the creater. Brahmins reserved all the religious rights. Battles between Brahmins and Kshatriyas over religious rights started. Battles between Vasishta V/s VishwaMitra, Parashurams extermination of Kshatriyas 21 times are the examples of such battles. Brahmins won over the Kshatriyas and placed them in the newly invented 4th Varna called Shudra. So now the number of varnas became four, namely Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vyshya and Shudra. This is called CHATURVARNA system. Brahmins boycotted Kshatriyas Religiously and denied Upanayana to them.
They pushed the previously defeated Indus valley people( Mulnivasis) also into the fourth Shudra Varna and made them as slaves. So by now the Shudra varna contains of native defeated people(mulnivasis) as well as the defeated kshatriyas.
The Brahmins wrote RegVeda around 1500 BC. Slokas of RgVeda are nothing but the Prayers by Aryans to Indra to help them defeat the native people(Mulnivasis).
Purusha Sukhta, the 10th chapter of RgVeda described the origin of Varna system. (As a creation of Brahma) Purusha Sukta gave religious sanctity to Varna System. According to RgVeda, Shudras must do slavery to the other three varnas Brahmins by declaring Vedas as unquestionable, made Mulnivasis as slaves and exploited them brutally.
4: Revolution by Buddha:
Buddha was a Sakyan mulnivasi who are now recognized as OBCs by the Mandal Commission. He was the first Social Revolutionary in the world. He questioned the Sanctity of Varna system, which is enslaving the Shudras. He opposed Vedas for propounding and supporting the Varna System. He rejected the theories of God, Soul and Rebirth and Karma etc., which were designed to make us(mulnivasis) slaves. He opposed Yagnas & Sacrifices, which forms the daily life of the Aryans. He established Bikkhu Sanghas to awaken the society. He was the first man to use the word Bahujan to indicate Shudras(mulnivasis) who are Majority people. By his famous Four great truths, he identified Brahmanical social order of Varna System as the root cause of all evils. Three Saranas proclaimed by him were aimed at keeping the knowledge as the foundation of the society.
With the Buddhas revolution, Shudras started getting awakened and educated. They got united again, and started protesting the varna system. Gradually with the help of Buddhas teachings, they became very powerfull and as a result, Chandra Gupta Maurya who belongs to the Naga clan (Nagas are Mulnivasi) could use this opportunity and established Mauryan Dynasty in the year 325 BC.
Yagnas were banned Animal Sacrifices were banned Varna System was banned Brahmins lost all the relevance and were forced to join Chandra Gupta Mouryas military for livelihood . Asoka became king in 269 BC and declared Buddhism as state religion He spreaded education among the Shudras Propagated Buddhism to the nook and corner of the country and even outside India Punished Upper Varnas for following Varna System Erected rock edicts all over the country explaining the importance of moral values Brahminism suffered a heavy loss under Asokas rule.
As a result of contributions of Buddha, Chandra Gupta mourya, and Ashoka, shudras are elevated, and they became well educated.
In due course, Brihadrath (shudra, great grand son of ashoka) became king in the year 185 BC. But by that time Pushya Mitra Shrunga, a Brahmin could become the army Chief of Mauryans.
Announced gold coins to who ever kills a Buddhist monk and brings his head. Under his rule, cunning Brahmins joined Buddhism and started diluting it. Pushya Mitra decided to divide the vast population of Shudras for fear of another revolt like Buddha. He converted Varna into Caste System by restricting people to their professions. To defend his act of kinghood, which is contrary to his Varna dharma, Manus code was introduced. (according to varna system a Brahmin should not handle weapons. But Pushya mitra being a Brahmin, is doing that.) So in Manu Smrithi he made them write that a Brahmin also could take to weapons in the unavoidable circumstances.
These Dastakars are now constitutionally called as Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The broken men, who fled to the jungles, were called as Adivasis and constitutionally as Scheduled Tribes (STs) The defeated broken men were thrown away to the outskirt of villages. Due to lack of food, they started eating dead animal flesh. For eating such dead cattle, these were dubbed as Untouchables and now constitutionally as Scheduled Castes (SCs) So, the present SC, ST & OBCs are the Mulnivasis of this nation and belong to ONE BLOOD and ONE RACE. Now Genetic (DNA) evidence supports this fact.
Hence, the present SC, ST, OBC & RCM(religious converted minorities) are the Mulnivasis of this country and belong to ONE BLOOD and ONE RACE. And they are MULNIVASIS and the rightfull owners of India .