Dalit Christians demand swift redressal of their grievances, move Minorities Commission

New Delhi – The case concerning the civil rights of the Dalit Christians has taken a new turn with the Union Government, represented by Attorney General Milon Banerjee and Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam, requesting the Supreme Court to adjourn the matter for four months as it was being handed over to the Justice Rangnath Mishra National Commission for Linguistic and Religious Minorities. However, the Supreme Court was far from being impressed and hauled up the government for its lack of reverence towards the apex court and has fixed the new date of hearing for October 18.

Meanwhile, Christian advocacy groups who are representing the Dalit Christians have alleged that the government was merely resorting to “delay tactics” and was not sincere in getting the matter resolved.

The Dalits (untouchables) were subjected to social disgrace and disrimination over the ages. However, those who converted or embraced Hindu, Buddhism or Sikhism were spared. In 1950, a Presidential Order excluded Dalit convert to Christianity from the quota system that reserved jobs to members of the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes in the public service. The same exclusion applies to those who convert to Islam but not to those who become Hindu, Buddhist or Sikh.

In February 2005, in a significant step, the Supreme Court decided to consider afresh the crucial constitutional issue of affirmative action in the public sector for Dalit converts to Christianity, refuting the government plea that it be treated as a legislative problem.

Christian and Dalit advocacy groups, including the Christian Dalits of Tamil Nadu, the National Forum of Dalit Christian Rights, the All India Catholic Union, the All India Christian Council and the Voice of Dalit International have now jointly submitted a memorandum to the Mishra Commission, demanding an early decision declaring Dalit Christians eligible for the same rights and protection of law given to Dalits of Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh faiths.

“The Mishra Commission set up in October 2004 but operational only now, is to determine the economic and social backwardness in linguistic and religious minorities. Its charter does not include, so far, deciding the constitutional issue of caste among non–Hindu religions,” said John Dayal, general secretary of the All India Christian Council. “The Government had in recent years given to Sikhs and Buddhists rights it had retained in 1950 just for Hindus, denying Muslims and Christians the protection of affirmative action in the Law.”

“We demand an opportunity to make written, oral and visual presentation to the Commission, bringing before it adequate literature and other evidence on the issue,” SAR News quoted Dayal as saying. “We demand that the Commission should impress on the Government that natural justice demands restoration of the rights of Dalit Christians and the protection of law, which their brethren in the Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh faith enjoy.”

The representatives of the Dalit Christian community also met V.V. Augustine, member, National Commission on Minorities and Prof. Valson Thampu, member, National Integration Council (NIC) and deliberated on the issue.

Among the political parties, the Left parties have strongly supported the cause of Dalit Christian. In recent letters to the Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, and chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), Sonia Gandhi, CPI(M) general secretary, Prakash Karat and CPI secretary, D. Raja, have strongly urged the Government to expedite the matter of redressing the grievances of the Dalit Christians.

A nationwide weeklong prayer and fasting was observed in churches and Christian institutions all over the country from August 25 for a “verdict” favourable to the Dalit cause.