Tamil Nadu govt urged not to give dalit scholarship to converted Christians

CHENNAI: When there is a debate on whether the dalit converted Christians should be included in scheduled castes or should be treated as OBCS, the Ambedkar Makkal Iyakkam on Thursday demanded that the Tamil Nadu government not extend the scholarship meant for dalit students to dalit converted Christians.

President of the Ambedkar Makkal Iyakkam Ilamurugu Muthu submitted a petition to adi dravidar welfare minister N Kayalvizhi Selvaraj demanding that the state government not extend to OBSS the benefits accorded to dalits.

“The state government is implementing the post-matric scholarship scheme for scheduled caste students but has Included the dalit converted Christians in the scholarship scheme. 20.01% of funds is allotted for dalit students and it is not meant for OBCs. Spending the funds allotted for dalite to BCS is illegal,” Ilamurugu told TOI.

He also said that when dalits get converted into Christianity, they become OBCs and they have 30% reservation. “If they are extended the benefits under post matric scholarship scheme, they have chances of availing benefits under the OBC reservation too and so the state government should strictly restrict the benefits only to SC students,” said Ilamurugu.

Leaders like VCK Thol Thirumavalavan, however, differ from the stand and argue that dalits face discrimination even if they get converted into Christianity.

 

This article is originally published on  https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/tamil-nadu-govt-urged-not-to-give-dalit-scholarship-to-converted-christians/articleshow/104378667.cms?from=mdr