UPA Govt. warned of backlash over SC status to Dalit Christians

A massive rally was taken by Dalit Christians this week as they continued their fight for equal status.

The UPA Government seemingly is delaying on extending the Scheduled Caste rights to Christians and Muslims since the last 60 years despite several delegations meeting the Prime Minister and the union ministers.

Rev. Raj Bharat Patta, secretary of the Commission on Dalits at the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), says there is now a great sense of frustration in the unduly delaying of justice.

The Church knows its struggles will not be in vain, but the incompetence of the government in exhibiting its secular credentials will now have its own repercussions, he told Christian Today.

"The mood at the rally yesterday was that if the govt. further delays we may ask our communities to abstain from voting as democracy is mocked at for discriminating us on the basis of religion," he warned.

He added that Christian and Muslim schools, hospitals and community development agencies might even close down until justice is ensured.

There are about 20 million Dalit Christians who have been deprived of their rights by para 3 of the 1950 Constitution Order which restricted reservation benefits only to Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists.

Apparently all political parties except BJP have supported the deletion of the 'unjust' para.

Says Rev. Patta, the government need not fear the fundamentalist groups, for they are in ruling and they have sufficient numbers to defend their stand in the parliament.

"This issue of ours is a litmus test for the present government in testing their genuine character towards justice and in safeguarding the rights of its citizens of keeping their promise as mentioned in their election manifesto," he said.

Their demand for SC status, says Patta is not a matter of privilege or benefit. "This demand is our constitution right," he declared.

"When there has been growing violence against our Dalit Christian brothers and sisters, we are not covered under the prevention of atrocities act of SC/ST 1989, and our people do not have enough protection. Also, we do not have enough space for growth, for we are denied our right at educational institutions and at workplaces," he rued.

Says Patta, if justice must be met, political representatives must have the political will and judiciary needs to be prudent.

"Our prayer is let our leaders and the judiciary be granted wisdom and courage to be bold in exercising their responsibility of ensuring justice. Our hope will surely be rewarded," he adds.