Dalit Christians disappointed with TN quota; says legal protection more important

The recent Tamil Nadu government's bill that provides reservations in education and government jobs for Muslims and Christians under the state's quota law has disappointed the Dalit Christian leaders.

“All through the Tamil Nadu government has been treating us (Dalit Christians) as backward classes, and now according to this announcement they are treating us as minorities,” says Father L Yesumarian, a Jesuit priest and founder President of the International Dr Ambedkar Centenary Movement.

“By clubbing us with other Christians in Minorities’ list, they are sending confusing message across. It has given a setback to the entire national struggle that we have been waging in asking for a SC status,” Fr Yesumarian says.

The International Dr Ambedkar Centenary Movement ever since knowing that Karunanidhi led government sanctioned the quota for minorities, have been distributing pamphlets, holding public meetings, poster campaign etc to bring focus to the situation of Dalit Christians.

“We are not asking them to withdraw the Bill, but just asking them to make an amendment. While the Central government treats Christians as a forward community, the TN government treats us as backward. Our demand is that we be deleted from the minorities list and be put in the SC list,” quoted a Christian news agency, Fr Yesumarian saying.

Fr Arokiaraj Cosmon of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India's SC/ST Commission mentioned that, legal protection and political representation for Dalit Christians is the need of the hour, than the educational and employment opportunities.

He asserted that, the TN quota is not going to solve the problem of Dalit Christians.

“The Indian Church is 70 per cent Dalits and in TN, 65 per cent of the Christians are Dalits. We do not want to be treated at par with other Christians, but want the benefits and legal protection as enjoyed by other Scheduled Castes in the country,” Fr Cosmon says.