Bihar Chief minister Nitish Kumar is hopeful that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would eventually support the demand for inclusion of Dalit Christians and Muslims in the Scheduled Caste list.

"My party JD-U fully supports this demand," Nitish said, adding when Christians had raised this demand, his party had supported it in Parliament. "The Muslim Dalits should also get this benefit," he said. National Democratic Alliance ally BJP is, however, totally opposed to this demand.

Agreeing that the two partners have difference of opinion, Nitish said the State Government had no role to play in this matter. "This is under the jurisdiction of the Centre and it should seek opinion of all the parties," said the Chief Minister, adding if the opinion of the State Government was sought, they would discuss it to arrive at a decision.

Nitish suspected the stand of the Congress in this matter and said because of this, the matter was still hanging fire. "Had the Centre's intention been honest, the Muslims and Christians would not have to struggle," he said.

When asked as to why he was hopeful that the BJP also would support the demand, Nitish said the matter had been pending in the Supreme Court and if the apex court decided to grant SC status to these communities, all the parties would have to abide by it.

Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz had supported JD-U in the assembly elections and the party, subscribing to its stand, sent Mahaz president Ali Anwar to the Rajya Sabha.

Nitish also advised the Muslims to stop demanding reservation on religious grounds and said, “It is a known fact that majority of the community is socially and educationally backward. Let the quota facility be decided under this principle and majority of the community would automatically benefit by it,” he said, adding the demand on religious grounds might open a pandora's box which would not be in the interest of the community.

(Source: The Times of India)