SC certificates to be scrapped for Non-Hindus, Buddhists & Sikhs: CM

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said if a person belonging a religion other than Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism has obtained a Scheduled Caste certificate fraudulently, it will be cancelled. Action will be taken against such a person if he or she has secured reservation benefits such as government jobs. If such a person has won an election using a fraudulently obtained SC certificate, their election will be declared null and void, Fadnavis said in the legislative council. Replying to a `calling attention' motion, he also said the state government intends to bring in strong provisions to deal with cases of religious conversion through coercion and cheating.
Fadnavis made it clear that while consensual religious conversion is allowed, coercion, cheating, or inducement for conversion will not be tolerated. Complaints will be thoroughly investigated, and action taken against involved organisations.While acknowledging conversion attempts in poor areas and slums, Fadnavis clarified that the government does not intend to ban voluntary religious conversions. The issue of “crypto Christians” — individuals who discreetly follow Christianity while officially belonging to an SC community to claim benefits — was raised by BJP leader Amit Gorkhe. He alleged that freedom of religion is being misused to exploit reservation policies.
BJP leader Chitra Wagh said there have been cases where women were duped into marriage by hiding the husband's religion. She cited a case in Sangli where a woman married into a family which secretly professed Christianity. The woman suffered torture and was forced to change her religion, leading to her death while she was seven months pregnant, Wagh said.