The Odisha State Ganda Samaj, a forum of Scheduled Caste people of Odisha, has demanded exclusion of nine castes from the Constitution (Scheduled Caste) Order 1950.
The Samaj, through a Press release, has said that the castes like Bhata in sl. no.15, Bhoi in Sl. no16, Dhibara, Keuta, Kaibarta in Sl. no. 24, Dhoba, Dhobi in 26, Karua in 43, Kurunga in 50, labana in 51, Mehera, Mahar in 59 and Panika in sl. no-71 included in the list of SC periodically through different amendments should be excluded.
"These castes are not untouchables and their socio-cultural lives are different from us. They are not looked down upon like us," stated a statement released by Fakira Jagat, secretary of the Samaj.
The statement further criticising the reservation policy of the Government, has stated that the reservation percentage in services and other opportunities for SCs has not increased proportionally to the rise in number of castes in the Constitution (scheduled caste) Order.
"The reservation for SC has been limited to 16 per cent whereas the percentage of population of SC to total population of Odisha has increased to 17.13. It is injustice," said Jagat.