Strong demand for SC Status for Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims.

Press Release

The Constitution enshrines the equal treatment of all religious communities, along with freedom of religion and conscience (Article 25). Granting Scheduled Caste status to Sikhs and Buddhist of Scheduled Caste origin has not weakened Hindu religion or encouraged conversions to those religions. How can Honorable Thawar Chand Gehlot, the Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, come to the conclusion that granting SC Status to Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims would weaken Hinduism and encourage conversions?

It is not the Indian Constitution, but it is the Presidential Order 1950, paragraph 3 that discriminates against the Christians and Muslims of Scheduled Caste origin. We urge the Minister to speak an inclusive language. His remarks are a smack of divisive language which divides the Dalit community on the basis of religion. 

The Honorable Prime Minister Modi should not just give verbal assurances and empty promises, but act concretely on the norms of the Constitution. Prime Minister rightly said in the Parliament ‘India first’ is the only religion and Constitution the only ‘holy book’ for his government, according to which he should be committed to working for all sections of people irrespective of religious affiliations. He must guarantee equality to all citizens; he must see that the majority does not force its will on minority communities to exclude and marginalize them which will impede the development of the nation. 

To protest against the undemocratic and exclusive language of the Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment and to demand SC Status for Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims, a Public protest meeting was held on 10th March 2016 at Jantar Mantar from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. Five thousand people from all over India participated. Students from AICUF performed traditional drum dance. Participants from different states sung awareness songs in different languages.

NCCI delegation meets Vice President of India

A delegation of National Council of Churches in India met Shri. M. Hamid Ansari, the Vice President of India and greeted him with Christmas wishes on 22nd December, 2015 at his residence.

He received the leaders warmly and conveyed his wishes to the Christian Community. The Vice President said that 'more than tolerance, what is important in our country is accepting each other as they are'. He also shared the concerns about the Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims situation in the community. He appreciated the work of the Church towards the poor and marginalized.

The delegation consisted of Bishop Subodh C. Mondal, Methodist Bishop, President, NWICC, Bishop Collin. C. Theodore, Secretary, NWICC, Bishop Issac Osthatheos, Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, Mr. Alwan Masih, Church of North India Synod, Dr. Sushant Agarwal, CASA, Mr. R.P. Mani Kumar, YMCAs, Fr. Savarimuthu, Catholic Archdiocese of Delhi and Mr. Samuel Jayakumar, NCCI. 

Samuel Jayakumar,
Executive Secretary,
Commission on Policy, Governance and Public Witness

NCCI.

Dalit Christians Reiterate the Demand for Equal Rights

Beck Began, Kolkata, August 10th 2015: Church leaders, priests and members of various churches such as Church of North India, Church of South India, Salvation Army, Mar Thoma, Presbyterian and Baptist observed a candle light vigil in front of the Bishop's College in Kolkata as part of the observance of the ‘Black Day’ demanding equal rights of Dalit Christians. This protest was jointly organised by the Commission on Dalits of NCCI, Bishop's College and various member churches of NCCI.

The Christians of Dalit origin were denied Scheduled caste status by a Presidential order in 1950, which was signed on 10th August. Rev Sunil Raj Philip, the Executive Secretary of the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) informed that the Dalit Christians across India observe this day as the Black day under the auspices of the NCCI. Rev Dr Sunil M Caleb (principal, Bishop's College, Kolkata), Rev Philip Philip (Mar Thoma Church), Lieut Colonel Daniel Raju Dasari (National Secretary, Salvation Army), Major Babu Samraj (Executive Committee member, NCCI), Rev. Papiya Durairaj and J. Goldwin (Student leader) addressed the gathering. 

The student community of Bishop's College in Kolkata, Priests from various denominations and the leaders of the National Secretariat of the Salvation Army participated in the protest meet. Those who were in protest sang songs, raised slogans and held candles in demand of 'de-linking religion from caste- based reservation'. The protesters pointed out that though the order initially suggested, "No person who professes a religion other than Hinduism shall be deemed to be a member of the Scheduled Caste”, by a later amendment Sikhs (1956) and Buddhists (1990) were included in the Scheduled Caste net. Hence keeping the Dalit Christians from the fold of Scheduled caste list is seen as an injustice.

An oath taken by the participants of the participants it was affirmed that as the Christian community they will stand united to continue the demand for equal justice for the Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims. The protesters demanded the immediate intervention of the Central government to repeal the infamous Presidential Order and extend the Scheduled Caste status to the Christians and Muslims of Dalit origin.

They also demanded that the government should end the procrastination of replying the queries of the Supreme Court on this issue and give an answer favourable to the Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims respecting the fact that twelve state governments, the National Minority Commission and National Commission for Scheduled Caste (NCSC) have already given written support for the inclusion of these vulnerable communities in the SC list. 

The print media supported the observance of Black day in Kolkata by carrying the news item.

Black Day observance at the NCCI Secretariat in Nagpur 

The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) office in Nagpur observed ‘Black Day’ on the 10th of August 2015, in silent protest against the Presidential Order 1950 which does not include Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims in Schedule Caste List. To mark this occasion, a black flag was hoisted outside the main office building and a black ribbon was worn by everyone.

Rev. Sunil Raj Philip,
Executive Secretary, Commission on Dalits,
Executive Secretary- in- charge, Commission on Tribals & Adivasis,
National Council of Churches in India.

Press release: Scheduled Caste status to Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims

Press Meet | 17th October 2014 | CBCI Centre, New Delhi

Times of India on 10^th October 2014 reported that the Government is opposed to Dalit status for converts.

It reported Union social justice minister Hon.  Thavar Chand Gehlot’s statement about SC status to Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims, which reveals that the Government is not inclusive in its development policy. 

The demand for the inclusion of the Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims has been going on for the past 64 years because of the Constitution (Scheduled Caste Order) 1950 paragraph 3 which reads as “no person who professes a religion different from the Hindu religion shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste”. Later it was amended to include Sikhs and Buddhists in 1956 and 1990 respectively.

A public interest litigation case was filed in the Supreme Court of India in 2004 (Civil Writ Petition No.180/2004) challenging the validity of this order.  

PRESS REPORT August 10th Black Day For Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims

Jointly Organised by

CATHOLIC BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE OF INDIA (CBCI), NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES IN INDIA (NCCI) and NATIONAL COUNCIL OF DALIT CHRISTIANS (NCDC)

The Constitution (Scheduled Caste) order 1950 was signed on 10th August 1950 by the then President of India which says that “No person who professes a religion other than Hinduism shall be deemed to be a member of the Scheduled Caste” which was later amended to include Sikhs (1956) and Buddhists (1990) in the Scheduled Caste net. This order is against the Secular nature (Preamble of the Constitution) of the country, against Article 14(Equality before the law), article 15(prohibition of discrimination of any citizen on ground of only religion), Article 25 (Freedom of Conscience and free to profess any religion), Article 26 (equality before the law and equal protection of the law) and against the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which India is a party.

Black Day 2014 demanding the inclusion of Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims in Scheduled Caste list

Organised by the Commission on Policy, Governance and Public Witness of National Council of Churches in India and the SC/ST Commission of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India.

CNI Bhawan, Pandit Pant Marg, New Delhi. 

'Black Day' was observed by the Indian churches and Christian organisations across India under the auspices of the National Council of Churches in India and the Catholic Bishops Conference of India demanding the repealing of the infamous Presidential Order in 1950 to exclude the Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims from the Scheduled Caste list.

As part of the observance Church leaders and the Christian lay leaders along with the Dalit Muslim leaders conducted a protest meeting at the CNI Bhawan in New Delhi on the 12th of August 2014. 

Black Day to protest injustice towards Dalit Christians

Respected Moderator/Bishop/General Secretary/Executive Secretary/Director/Executive committee member of NCCI/General body member of NCCI,

Greetings from the National Council of Churches in India!

We are writing this mail to humbly request you to proactively participate in observing the ‘Black Day’ on 10^th of August 2014 to raise our protest about the continual negligence of the authorities to the cry for equal rights of Dalit Christians.

The infamous Constitution (Scheduled Caste) order 1950 was signed on 10th August 1950 by the then President of India which says that