Ex-Andhra CM's son urges SC status to Dalit Christians

Congress MP Jagan Mohan Reddy is taking keen interest in the campaign for SC status to Dalit Christians, following the footsteps of his father, former Andhra chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, who was very vocal against religious discrimination.

Jagan reportedly has written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh calling for justice to Christians of Scheduled Caste origin who have been deprived of their rights by a 1950 Constitution Order.

Dalit Christians were feeling discriminated as Dalit Buddhists and Dalit Sikhs were able to avail of the reservation facility, he wrote.

The 1950 Order made reservation in education and jobs available to those from low-caste that follow Hinduism. Those who converted to Christianity from Hinduism will not be able to avail the reservation benefits.

Commenting on it, Jagan told Prime Minister Singh that losing reservation upon conversion from Hinduism went against the spirit of Constitution.

Jagan informed that Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission had already underlined the need for government to steer clear of discrimination by extending SC status to Christians and Muslims of Dalit origin.

He also told Singh that earlier he put a request to UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on ending the discrimination by giving Dalit Christians equal status.

In 1956, the 1950 Order was amended to include Sikhs, and in 1990, it was again amended to include Buddhists, but till date Christians and Muslims continue to be excluded.

India's 75% Christians belong to Scheduled Caste communities.