Centre plans to include J&K 'Balmiki' members in SC list

Govt's Move On Social Front Likely Indicator Of Polls In UT Soon

- Subodh Ghildiyal timesgroup.com

New Delhi: The Centre is planning to include a variation of the 'Valmiki' community in Jammu & Kashmir in the Scheduled Castes list, amid growing indications that elections will be held in the Union Territory.

As per the proposal, the ministry for social justice and empowerment is proposing the inclusion of 'Balmiki' in the SC list. The name is a spelling variation of 'Valmiki' which is already in the SC list, but given the strictness adopted in the recognition of Dalit groups, the difference leads to omission of many individuals or households from the Balmiki' caste from reservation and other affirmative action benefits.

BJP has been on an overdrive on caste categorisation in J&K, having announced recently the inclusion of the 'Pahari' community-a-linguistic minority in the list of Scheduled Tribes. The Gujjars and Bakerwals, who are in the ST list, have reac-