New Delhi: The National Commission for Scheduled Caste (NCSC) has withdrawn its 5 August order that named three people from the same caste in a five-member panel after the Modi government advised it to do so.
The order, which was about setting up an advisory committee on the economic and social development for scheduled castes (SCs), drew flak after three of the panel members were Srivastavas, earning the pejoratively label ‘Srivastava Pvt Ltd’.
The panel members were Member Secretary Prabhanshu Srivastava (also a director at the commission), members Harsh Srivastava and Palash Srivastava along with retired IAS officer Sharda Prasad, who was the committee chairman, and Dr Satya Shri.
“As advised by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the office order dated 5 August 2020 regarding constitution of the said Advisory committee on Economic and social development of Scheduled Castes stands withdrawn. However, the matter will be placed Before the new commission; as & when constituted; for their consideration,” read the order issued by the commission of 20 August.
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The Narendra Modi government had advised the NCSC to cancel the order after it received several complaints on how one caste was dominating the committee. Officially, the order maintained that the committee should be cancelled since it was constituted when the commission was not in session.
ThePrint on 19 August had reported that the ministry, on 14 August, asked the NCSC to cancel its order.
Among those who opposed the appointment of three Srivastavas was the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), the political party founded by Prakash Ambedkar, grandson of Dalit icon Dr B.R. Ambedkar.
“We are happy with the development and hope that Dalit scholars, or those working for the welfare of Dalits should be made part of the committee once it is reconstituted. We hope government will take action against those who had set up this committee which was dominated by one caste,” said VBA spokesperson Rajendra Patode.
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Is this majoritarianism? This business of reservations etc for majority category of the population?
Only just asking.