<p>The Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) central working president Alok Kumar said on Sunday that the VHP would not allow legitimate rights of SC/STs to be snatched away by converts. </p>.<p>Kumar told a press conference here that the VHP was planning to undertake a widespread public awareness campaign across the country to expose the conspiracies of providing reservation to converted SC/STs.</p>.<p>He said the VHP does not oppose giving reservations to SC/STs as these people have historically been deprived on the basis of their castes, but it will oppose reservation to anyone from Abrahamic religions. </p>.<p>“Abrahamic religions always claim to have no caste distinctions among them and therefore SC/ST reservation cannot be extended to them,” he argued.</p>.<p>The press conference comes in the wake of the union government appointing a commission under the chairmanship of former Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan to examine the matter to accord SC status to converted SCs (dalit Christians) and its implications on existing SCs (dalit Hindus).</p>.<p>Pointing out at the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order of 1950, Kumar contended that this order was very clear that only Hindu SCs would get reservation facilities.</p>.<p>Kumar cited several court judgements, rejecting the demand for SC status to converts.</p>.<p>“The rights of the SCs of Bharat (India) can’t be allowed to be snatched away by the converts,” he said.</p>
<p>The Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s (VHP) central working president Alok Kumar said on Sunday that the VHP would not allow legitimate rights of SC/STs to be snatched away by converts. </p>.<p>Kumar told a press conference here that the VHP was planning to undertake a widespread public awareness campaign across the country to expose the conspiracies of providing reservation to converted SC/STs.</p>.<p>He said the VHP does not oppose giving reservations to SC/STs as these people have historically been deprived on the basis of their castes, but it will oppose reservation to anyone from Abrahamic religions. </p>.<p>“Abrahamic religions always claim to have no caste distinctions among them and therefore SC/ST reservation cannot be extended to them,” he argued.</p>.<p>The press conference comes in the wake of the union government appointing a commission under the chairmanship of former Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan to examine the matter to accord SC status to converted SCs (dalit Christians) and its implications on existing SCs (dalit Hindus).</p>.<p>Pointing out at the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order of 1950, Kumar contended that this order was very clear that only Hindu SCs would get reservation facilities.</p>.<p>Kumar cited several court judgements, rejecting the demand for SC status to converts.</p>.<p>“The rights of the SCs of Bharat (India) can’t be allowed to be snatched away by the converts,” he said.</p>