Karnataka Christian Federation seeks quota benefits

The Karnataka Christian Federation (KCF) urged the government to extend reservation to Dalit Christians as being extended to Muslims.

The chairman of KCF, Francis Jackson said, "All SC/STs who had converted to Christianity should be given the same status as Dalit Buddhists and Sikhs, who have their status the same, even after conversion from Hinduism."

The government was requested to list the converted Christians in category I of the state caste list.

Other demands of KCF include, separate boards/corporations to address problems faced by Christians, representation in the legislative assembly, police protection to churches, subsidy for pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem, cancellation of police cases filed against based on bogus complaints.

Although the Constitution Scheduled Castes Order, 1950 provides the status of scheduled caste benefits of actions like reservations in education and government jobs, these benefits cannot be applied if a Hindu converts to any other religion.

Later the order was revised to include Dalit Sikhs and Buddhists in the schedules caste list, while there was no inclusion of the Christian Dalits. This was pure injustice awarded by the govt. to the Dalit Christians.

However, the Dalit Christians are awaiting the report from the Central Govt. which will be produced before the Supreme Court for the final verdict.