I didn't raise objection, only put forward rules: T C Gehlot on adding OBCs to SC list in UP

Clarifying a statement on Uttar Pradesh government's decision to include 17 OBC castes in the list of Scheduled Castes, Social Justice Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot on Thursday said that he had not raised any objection but had only put forward the rules and set procedure in the Rajya Sabha.

"It is not that I raised an objection. I had only put forward the rules and the set procedure and said whatever I wanted to say in the House," he told ANI.

Gehlot, who is also Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, was clarifying a statement he had made in the House that the Uttar Pradesh government proposal went against rules as the matter was in the jurisdiction of the Centre.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Suresh Kodikunnil has given a notice of adjournment motion in Lok Sabha over the matter of issuing SC certificate to 17 OBC communities in Uttar Pradesh.

The response by Gehlot comes a day after he said in Rajya Sabha that the decision by BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government to give Schedule Caste (SC) certificate to people from 17 Other Backward Classes (OBC) castes is "inappropriate".

"Uttar Pradesh government's decision to give SC certificate to people from 17 OBC castes is inappropriate. Constitution holds the authority to move an SC, ST or OBC from a category to another. Still, if Uttar Pradesh government wants to do so, it must send a proposal and then we will look into it," the BJP leader had said in Rajya Sabha on July 02.

The Uttar Pradesh government had added 17 castes including Kashyap, Mallah, Kumhar, Rajbhar, Prajapati and others in the list of Scheduled Castes. It had also directed all District officers to issue Caste Certificate to the families of those belonging to these 17 castes.The decision by the UP government was taken on Friday.

All the castes added in the SC list previously were under the Other Backward Castes (OBC) list.