National Rally mobilize Dalit Christians’ campaign for equal justice

Hyderabad – Nearly 50,000 Dalit Christians from all over India reportedly converged in Andhra Pradesh to participate in a National Rally and voice their ongoing struggle against caste discrimination and demand for equal rights.

The National Rally, which took place on November 26, was organized by the All India Christian Council (AICC) and the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) and had the full support of Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) – an international human rights agency, Udit Raj's All India Confederation of Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) and Dalit Freedom Network (DFN), a US–based organization that seeks to work with individuals, foundations and organizations outside of India to bring together their combined resources on behalf of those who are working for the emancipation of the Dalits.

Caste, a social stratification rooted deep in Hinduism, organizes people by a combination of descent and employment. The lowest group in the caste system is the Dalits. While atrocities against the Dalits have been practiced for thousands of years, caste–based atrocities are reaching new heights and are causing tension across many areas.

A 1950 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.

However, in a significant step, the Supreme Court in February this year 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.

The matter, originally fixed for hearing on August 25, has been adjourned several times and it is expected that the apex court will take up the hearing in February next year.

An estimated 70 percent of India’s 23 million Christians belong to the socially discriminated Dalit groups, who need social and educational support to come to the mainstream of society.

Although some have argued that Christianity does not involve a concept of caste, and Dalits who embrace Christianity should not be given the rights reserved for other Dalits, Christian leaders are insisting that the socio–economic status of Dalits does not automatically improve by their adopting a new religion.

Joseph D’Souza, International President, DFN and President, AICC, said, “The fact is that Dalit Christians are indeed Dalits and suffer the same humiliation, discrimination, ostracism and poverty experienced by Dalits of other faiths. To deny Dalit Christians benefits because of their religious affiliation is to discriminate against them on the basis of religion and deny them fundamental constitutional rights.”

“The time for waiting is over – 50 years is long enough. We as Christians need to stand up and act. And this rally is the beginning of our public agitation and movement,” he said.

D’Souza has also issued a stern warning to the churches of India, stating that unless they reformed themselves, they would all “become redundant in the ongoing vision, struggle and emergence of an equality–, freedom– and justice–based Indian society that does not discriminate against fellow Indians on the basis of one's birth (caste), occupation (caste–based), gender or religion.”

According to Stuart Windsor, National Director of CSW, “The injustice of the current Scheduled Caste legislation has been an offence to India’s democracy for far too long” and “CSW wholly supports this drive to give equal rights to India’s Dalit Christians and Muslims.”

“The continuing delay of giving Dalit Christians equal rights with other Dalits is an affront to India's secular democracy,” he said.

CSW has also reconfirmed its commitment towards campaigning with the AICC on this issue and persuade the Government of India to address “this shameful injustice.”

The event was chaired by Rev. G. Samuel, National Vice–President of the All India Christian Council.