The Rajya Sabha on Monday passed a Bill to group seven Scheduled Caste communities in Tamil Nadu under the nomenclature “Devendrakula Velalars”. The parliamentary approval of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021 is now complete as it was passed by the Lok Sabha last week.
The castes that will be clubbed under one nomenclature are – Vathiriyan, Devendrakulathan, Kalladi, Kadaiyan, Kudumban, Pannadi and Pallan.
The passage of the Bill assumes significance ahead of the Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu on April 6. This clubbing had been a long-awaited demand of certain sections within the communities, according to The Hindu.
During discussions on the Bill, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot elaborated on the Centre’s measures to accord the rightful place to BR Ambedkar, PTI reported. Gehlot said that the central government had completed several projects launched in Ambedkar’s memory.
The Bill had passed in the…