Mangaluru Hajj Bhavan to be built shortly: Minister Zameer Ahmed
Mangaluru, November 16: Food and Civil Supplies and Minorities and Wakf Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan said that land would be identified at Adyar on the outskirts of the city and Hajj Bhavan would be constructed shortly.
Reviewing the works of his departments at the Circuit House here on Friday, the Minister said that the land would be surveyed at Adyar first and Hajj Bhavan would be constructed after acquiring the land, he added.
Due to network problem in 16 fair price shops, Point of Sale (POS) system was not installed due to which, ration was being distributed through coupon system. The problem would be discussed in the government level and solved soon. The owners of fair price shops have installed computers, printers, laptops, POS and other instruments at their own cost and distributing the ration. He has received complaints from the beneficiaries that some fair price shop owners have been denying in issuing cards under the pretext of network problem. The government was planning to have agreement with the private companies to solve network problem, he assured.
The department has the target of distributing gas connections to 1,586 beneficiaries and in the first phase, the department has released funds to the agency to provide gas connection to 1,349 beneficiaries. Total 824 stoves were distributed and gas connection was given to 581 beneficiaries as of now, the officers said.
Responding to it, the minister directed the officials to reach the target under Anila Bhagya scheme by November and the remaining 768 gas connections should be provided immediately.
Those who have applied for inclusion of their names or corrections were not being given the ration cards on time. But the officers drew the attention of the Minister about non-availability of the cards. The Minister said that he would discuss the issue with the department secretary. Total 7,009 applications were pending for issuing new cards and eligible beneficiaries should be identified and issued the cards, he directed.
When officers said that there was less demand for tur dal in the district and more demand for moong dal, the minister said that moong dal would be supplied as per the local demand. He directed the officials to take legal action against those who cheat consumers in weight and measurement.
Scarcity of staff
The district has the scarcity of staff. Among sanctioned posts, nine posts were vacant due to which, programmes were not being implemented effectively. The Minister assured of solving the problem.
Department officer Srinivasaiah, Minority Welfare department officer Usman, Wakf district officer Abubakar, Minority department district manager Sridhar Bhandari and others were present.
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'Fraud on Constitution': SC rules against religious conversion for quota benefits
New Delhi (PTI): In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court has said religious conversions undertaken solely to avail reservation benefits without genuine belief amounted to a "fraud on the Constitution".
Justices Pankaj Mithal and R Mahadevan passed the verdict on November 26 in a case filed by one C Selvarani and upheld a Madras High Court decision of January 24 denying a scheduled caste certificate to a woman who converted to Christianity but later claimed to be a Hindu to secure employment benefits.
Justice Mahadevan, who wrote the 21-page verdict for the bench, further underscored that one converted to a different religion, when they were genuinely inspired by its principles, tenets and spiritual thoughts.
"However, if the purpose of conversion is largely to derive the benefits of reservation but not with any actual belief in the other religion, the same cannot be permitted, as the extension of benefits of reservation to people with such ulterior motives will only defeat the social ethos of the policy of reservation,” he noted.
The evidence presented before the bench was found to have clearly demonstrated that the appellant professed Christianity and actively practiced the faith by attending church regularly.
"Despite the same, she claims to be a Hindu and seeks for a SC community certificate for the purpose of employment," it noted.
"Such a dual claim made by her," said the bench "was untenable and she cannot continue to identify herself as a Hindu after baptism".
The top court, therefore, held the conferment of scheduled caste communal status to the woman, who was a Christian by faith, but claimed to be still embracing Hinduism only for the purpose of availing reservation in employment, "would go against the very object of reservation and would amount to fraud on the Constitution".
The top court underlined a religious conversion solely to access reservation benefits, without genuine belief in the adopted religion, undermined the fundamental social objectives of the quota policy and her actions were contrary to the spirit of reservation policies aimed at uplifting the marginalised communities.
Selvarani, born to a Hindu father and a Christian mother, was baptised as a Christian shortly after birth but later claimed to be a Hindu and sought an SC certificate to apply for an upper division clerk position in Puducherry in 2015.
While her father belonged to the Valluvan caste, categorised under scheduled castes, he had converted to Christianity, as confirmed by documentary evidence.
The verdict said the appellant continued to practice Christianity, as seen by the regular church attendance, making her claim of being a Hindu untenable.
The bench noted individuals converting to Christianity lose their caste identity and must provide compelling evidence of reconversion and acceptance by their original caste to claim SC benefits.
The judgement said there was no substantial evidence of the appellant's reconversion to Hinduism or acceptance by the Valluvan caste.
Her claims lacked public declarations, ceremonies, or credible documentation to substantiate her assertions, it pointed out.
"One converts to a different religion when genuinely inspired by its principles. Conversion purely for reservation benefits, devoid of belief, is impermissible," the bench held.
The apex court opined in any case, upon conversion to Christianity, one lost their caste and couldn't be identified by it.
"As the factum of reconversion is disputed, there must be more than a mere claim. The conversion had not happened by any ceremony or through 'Arya Samaj'. No public declaration was effected. There is nothing on record to show that she or her family has reconverted to Hinduism and on the contrary, there is a factual finding that the appellant still professes Christianity,” it noted.
The bench said there was evidence against the appellant, and therefore, her contention raised that the caste would be under eclipse upon conversion and resumption of the caste upon reconversion, was "unsustainable".
