november 29, 2005
BJP-Planted Officers Sabotage Dalit Christian Cause
A set of hand-picked bureaucrats planted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regime before it lost power to the Congress-led government in 2004 has thus far successfully stonewalled and sabotaged the presiding Indian government’s efforts to restore the full legal rights snatched from Dalit Christians in 1950. This is according to a press release issued by Dr. Joseph D’souza, President of the All India Christian Council (AICC) and his associates.
According Dr. D'souza, this was revealed by senior political leaders and others in a weekend of major political advocacy in the country in support of Christians who have converted from the former “untouchable” castes and continue to be victims of caste oppression and State neglect.
A massive public rally recently bringing together tens of thousands of Dalit Christians in Hyderabad was organized by the Dalit Freedom Network’s (DFN) partner organization, the All India Christian Council (AICC), and its Dalit partner the Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) Confederation, plus other Dalit groups. Two seminars also organized in New Delhi by the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), saw all political parties, barring the BJP, put on record their support to legal and parliamentary action to give Dalit Christians the rights that Hindu Dalits, Buddhist Dalits and Sikh Dalits enjoy today.
These include the important political right of contesting Central, State and Village elections from Dalit constituencies, protection by law against untouchability, and affirmative action in welfare, land, education and government employment.
The Dalit question comes up once again before the Supreme Court of India on Monday, November 28, 2005, through the Public Interest Litigation writ filed by former Indian Law Minister Shanti Bhushan and other appeals by Dalit Christian groups. The Central Government has asked the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities headed by former Chief Justice of India Rangnath Mishra to also investigate the issue.
The Union Cabinet, which introduced a Bill for Dalit Questions in Parliament in 1996, is understood to have again considered the matter seriously, but its decision has been thwarted by senior Indian Administrative service officers who are dead set against the Dalit community. These revelations were made at the CBCI-organized conclave, held in the National Commission for Minorities.
The meetings called for grassroots mobilization in a sustained action program, nation-wide prayer, and coordination with civil society groups and non-Christian Dalit leaders and organizations.
In the historic Hyderabad rally, Dr. Joseph D’souza said grassroots Dalit Christians have now mobilized themselves. “It was historic because we came out openly in the public square and bluntly laid down our position for the UPA government and the Congress Party that they should not count on the political support of the Dalit Christians if they are not willing to give support on this matter.” The AICC president said, “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.”
Udit Raj aptly pointed out that in India, rights are not automatic. They have to be taken by action and the kind of action the vested and exploitative upper castes understand is “people power”. He said, “Today, you coming together in great numbers will send out a powerful message to the political powers in New Delhi.”
Majlis leader Mr. Owaisi said Muslims and Dalit Christians should work closely together to achieve reservation and expressed his party's total support for the cause. Mr. Mane called upon Dalit
Christians to grow into a powerful political force to achieve the same rights as Dalit Buddhists enjoy. He said Ms. Mayawati had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding affirmative action for Dalit Christians and had received an assurance that the Central Government would examine the demand.
Andhra Pradesh State President and National Vice-President of the AICC Rev. Dr. G. Samuel announced that the rally was only the beginning of a nationwide agitation and protest for granting Constitutional rights to Dalit Christians everywhere.
The Dalit Freedom Network (DFN) is the authorized partner of the All India Christian Council, the SC/ST Confederation, and other Dalit-Bahujan groups involved in the emancipation of the Dalits.
For more information, contact info@dalitnetwork.org or go to their website at www.dalitnetwork.org.
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