Include Dalits as Shankaracharyas then we’ll end reservation: Pappu Yadav on Rambhadracharya’s SC/ST Act remark

New Delhi, Nov 25
A political storm erupted on Tuesday after Jagadguru Rambhadracharya called for the repeal of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, drawing sharp and contrasting reactions from leaders across the political spectrum with Purnia MP Pappu Yadav saying, "let all Shankaracharyas include Dalits among them, and we will immediately end reservation."

Speaking to IANS, Yadav said, “I would request the Shankaracharya, let all Shankaracharyas include Dalits, SC and STs among them, and we will immediately end reservation.”

Jagadguru Rambhadracharya had earlier stated, “The SC/ST Act should be repealed. The Vedas do not mention Avarnas or Savarnas, these political leaders have initiated this system… I would say that there should be no reservation based on caste.”

His remarks reignited the debate over affirmative action and legal protections for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Responding sharply, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit challenged the feasibility of Rambhadracharya’s demand.

He said, “Win a two-thirds majority, come to Parliament, form the government and change the laws. Or do you think PM Modi will listen to you just because you are part of his group, then you can ask your ministers to remove the reservation?...”

Dikshit’s response underscores the political sensitivities surrounding reservation policies and the legal structures that protect marginalized communities.

In contrast, Minister Lakhendra Kumar Raushan backed Rambhadracharya’s position. “I support the remarks made by Rambhadracharya. For a long time, the caste system, and the division of society on the basis of varna, has played a major role in weakening this country...” he said, aligning himself with the call to revisit existing caste-based frameworks.

The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, is a central law aimed at preventing atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, establishing Special Courts, ensuring stricter punishments, and safeguarding victims' rights. Any suggestion of its repeal has historically drawn strong reactions from both community representatives and political leadership.

Rambhadracharya’s remark that “there should be no reservation based on caste” has now amplified discussions at a time when caste census debates, social justice policies, and electoral strategies dominate political conversations in multiple states and many parts of the country still witness atrocities against Dalits.