Will Dalit Christians Get Justice?

by M. Madhu Chandra
16 July, 2007

1. Introduction

After constitutional denial of Scheduled Caste origins converted to Christianity and Muslims after the Presidential Order 1950, a million dollar question remains in the minds of Indian Dalit Christians “Will the Judicial system of India give justice to Indian Dalit Christians now after 57 years of injustice done to them?”

After much prolong delay, Commission for Minority Religion and Linguistic Minority known as Misra Commission has finally submitted its report to United Progressive Alliance Government with recommendation that Dalit Christians and Muslims suffer socio-economic and educational backwardness, who should be given back the Scheduled Caste status and its beneficiaries to them. Upon its report and recommendation, Supreme Court of India is to give its judgment on July 19, 2007.

India’s 75% Christians belong to Scheduled Caste communities, whose statutory and benefits available in Constitutional were denied after 1950 Presidential Order.

The debate on Dalit Christian reservation has been ongoing for many decades in spite of repeated assurance given to Dalit Christian communities to be included in Constitution Scheduled Caste Order 1950.

The fundamental, birth and constitutional rights of Christians from Scheduled Caste origins have been denied for last 57 years. Looking at then and now background of Dalit Christians’ demand for Scheduled Caste status, we will able to conclude to say that Justice Misra Commission setup by present UPA government is unnecessary commission because enough commissions before it, have done the necessary research and submitted with recommendation to provide Scheduled Caste status to Dalit Christians.

2. Background of Dalit Christian Reservation Movement

For first time, Indian’s lowest caste known as “Untouchables” or “Depressed Classes” have been identified as Scheduled Castes introduced by Colonial Government of India in 1935.

In the following year Colonial Government of India (Scheduled Castes) Order 1935 specified, “No Indian Christian shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste.” Since then any Scheduled Caste origins converted to Christianity lost its Scheduled Caste status, although they remain economically, educationally, socially and politically backward as much as before their conversion.

After India got Independent from Colonial power, while framing Indian Constitution the Presidential Order of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Order 1950, the Scheduled Caste Origins converted to any other faiths or religions different from Hinduism has been left out in Para 3 of Article 341.

Dalit Sikhs protested to be included in Constitution (Scheduled Caste) Order 1950 and got after six years’ denial of their birth, fundamental and constitutional rights of being Scheduled Caste origin converted to Sikhism. They were listed in Presidential SC/ST Order 1950 by amending Para 3 of Article 341 in 1956.

Dalit Buddhists remained their birth, fundamental, constitutional rights of scheduled caste status denied for 40 years until the Para 3 of Article 341 was amended in 1990 to include Scheduled Caste origins converted to Buddhism.

Every time Dalit Sikhs and Dalit Buddhist demanded to be included in Constitution (Scheduled Caste) Order 1950, assurances were also given repeatedly to Scheduled Caste origins converted to Christianity. The birth rights of Dalit Christians have been kept suppressed for 57 years that too without any assurance either from legislate nor political heads.

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Posted on: July 17, 2007