NCCI DALIT LIBERATION SUNDAY 2016

Respected Ecumenical Colleagues,

Warm greetings from National Council of Churches in India!

Dalit Liberation Sunday has become an important feature in the calendar of Indian Churches and Ecumenical movements. Over the years, there has been a positive response in sensitizing the local congregations towards concerns of Dalits, for no longer caste issue is visualized as a sociological issue or an issue outside the purview of church but more seen as an issue challenging the core of our faith and gospel.

The theme for this year's Dalit Liberation Sunday is “Administer Justice Daily! Deliver the Oppressed!” (Jeremiah 21:12). We take this opportunity to invite you to observe Dalit Liberation Sunday on 13th November 2016 in your church/local parish/institution in a creative way and rededicate your commitment to the Gospel by accompanying the unaccompanied. However, if you already have some programme on 13th November 2016, you may think of celebrating this Special day on a later Sunday i.e. on 20th November 2016. Herewith we are sending you hard copies of posters and a special order of worship for the day. You may take the freedom to use the entire worship order and translate it in your vernacular language or adapt parts of it.

We would appreciate if you send a brief report along with a few photographs of the observance to the undersigned. Let us join to observe Dalit Liberation Sunday on 13th November 2016.

Thanking you in anticipation. With regards,

In Christ,

Pradip Bansrior
Executive Secretary
Commission on Dalits and Tribals/ Adivasis
National Council of Churches in India

DOWNLOAD DALIT LIBERATION SUNDAY 2016 LITURGY HERE

Observance of Black Day on August 10th, 2016

August 10th is observed every year as ‘Black Day’ by the member Churches of National Council of Churches in India, Theological institutions and Christian organisations across India demanding the deletion of the infamous Presidential Order 1950, Paragraph 3, which excludes Christian and Muslim Dalits from the Scheduled Caste list.

The foundation of state discrimination against Christian Dalits was laid in the 1930s when the then British India Government passed the “Scheduled Caste (SC) Act 1936”. This Act made only ‘Hindu’ Dalits eligible for protective discrimination (SC reservation) and deprived Dalits of other religious faiths, including Christian Dalits from it. In post independent India, the “Presidential Order (SC) 1950” was very similar to the Act of 1936, denying again protective discrimination for Dalit converts to Christianity. This clearly violates the principle of equality and religious freedom guaranteed in the Indian Constitution – Articles 14, 15 and 25. The argument of the Government very often has been that since Christianity is an egalitarian religion where caste has no place, the question of granting protective discrimination to Christian Dalits does not arise! This argument is not just simplistic but ill-motivated. It is a universally known truth, a fact even amply proved by several Central and State Government-appointed Commissions that the phenomenon of caste is so pervasive and wide spread that it has made deep inroads in all religious communities in the country, without exception. Subsequent to the Presidential Order of 1950, the Government of India brought in amendments and granted protective discrimination (SC reservation) to Sikh Dalits and Neo Buddhists, but the plea of Christian and Muslim Dalits has remained a cry in the wilderness until now. The Government of India appointed a National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities to investigate the demand of Christian and Muslim Dalits on 29 October, 2004. Ranganath Mishra, Head of Commission submitted the Commission Statement on 21 May, 2007. According to the Commission Report, paragraph 3 of the Constitution’s Order 1950 should be deleted from the Constitution in order to bring Equality and Justice for Christian and Muslim Dalits. However the Central Government kept silent when 12 state governments along with Union Territories and several political parties had endorsed the proposal to delete Paragraph 3 from the Constitution of India.

STATEMENT. NCCI STRONGLY CONDEMNS ATROCITIES AGAINST DALITS IN INDIA

PRESS RELEASE | STATEMENT

The National Council of Churches in India, meeting as a General Body in Chennai on August 12, 2016, strongly condemned  the growing atrocities against dalits in India:

National Council of Churches in India expresses its grave concern over the vehement hate campaigns and brutal attacks on Dalits in different parts of India. We condemn the perpetrators, cow vigilante groups and the right wing fundamentalists who take the law in their hands and torment the Dalits in our country. Serious cognizance must be taken of the hate campaigns manifesting in their most recent forms such as the activities of ‘Cow-killers’ and restrictions sought to be imposed on ‘Cow-meat-eaters’. This is an extreme form of modern-day practice of untouchability and discrimination.

We appeal to the Central and State Governments to ensure justice for Dalits without bias by maintaining the appropriate Law and Order to protect the vulnerable communities who are victimised in such hate campaigns.

We are informed by the media that, the perpetrators are booked under public nuisance charges instead of taking legal action under SC&ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. Therefore, we urge the state governments to apply the SC&ST Prevention of Atrocities Act rightfully against the perpetrators in order to safeguard the constitutional rights that affirm life ‘OF’ all and life ‘FOR’ all.

-  NCCI NEWS

Protest and Street Theatre Campaign in Nagpur against injustices to Dalits

In  recent times,  a series of atrocities on Dalit youths and women all over India have terrorized the entire nation. NCCI's Dalit Concerns Programme and Vidarbha Centre for Labour Concerns along with Bahujan Rangbhumi thought it best to to voice out the issue in the press and take it to the streets. A Press Conference was organised at the Tilak Patrakaar Bhavan on the 28^th   July 2016. Dalit leaders and activists at the conference including NCCI Secretary for Dalit concerns, Mr. Pradip Bansrior, and Mr. Rajesh Jadhav, Coordinator, Vidarbha Centre for Labour Concerns addressed the Press and condemned the atrocities against Dalits in Gujarat, Maharashtra, UP, MP and other parts of the country. The event was duly reported by local Marathi newspapers, as well as the English Daily, The Hitavada: 



The press conference was followed on 30th July 2016 by a protest Dharna and a street Theatre depicting the atrocities on Dalits and challenging the people to rise up to the occasion. 

In spite of the heavy rains, around 200 people participated in the protest at RBI [Samvidhaan] Square, Nagpur  at 11-00. am; they came from different walks of life, religious institutions, dalit organisations, like-minded organisations and NGOs, including men, women, and youth, to show their solidarity and to fight together against injustices faced by Dalits and all marginalised sections of our society in the country.

Many Activists, Theatre artists and NGO leaders like Dr. Yashwant Manohar (Social activist), Mr. Rajesh Jadhav (Vidarbha Centre for Labour Concerns- NCCI), Dr. Dhanraj Dahat ( Ambedkarite Sahittik), Mr. E.M. Narwane ( Ambedkarite Poet), Mr. Surendra wankhede (Writer and Director), Mr. Virendra Ganvir (President of Bahujan Rangbhumi), Mr. Khemraj Bhoyar (Activist), Mr. Amit Ganvir ( Theatre artist and Activist) as well as Mr. Pradip Bansrior (Executive Secretary, NCCI Dalit and Tribal/Adivasi Concerns) addressed the gathering and urged the people not to remain silent regarding the atrocities and injustices happening in our society. Youth from different organisations along with Ms. Ngalaton Ningsen- NCCI Intern on Tribal and Adivasi Concerns, also shared their concerns and demanded stern action against the cow vigilante groups all over the country.

National Council of Churches in India congratulates Mr. Bezwada Wilson

Mr. Bezwada Wilson
(Picture Source: Indian Express - http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/bezwada-wilson-ramon-magsaysay-award-a-safai-karmachari-who-sprouted-an-andolan/)

National Council of Churches in India congratulates Mr. Bezwada Wilson, 50 year old renowned campaigner for abolition of the dehumanising practice of manually cleaning human excreta and toilets, being honoured with the Ramon Magsaysay Award 2016 for "asserting the inalienable right to a life of human dignity."

Mr. Wilson is the National Convener of the Safai Karmachari Andolan and a member of Church of South India. A Dalit born into a family of manual scavengers in Karnataka, Wilson had seen his parents clean toilets as a boy. His first questions about the inhumane system of manual scavenging, and on why only Dalits were forced to carry night soil for dumping at designated spots cropped up when he was in fourth standard in school.Being a Dalit, Wilson was discriminated against, looked down upon as a child. He was treated as an outcast in school and acutely aware of his family's lot. Although he was spared the labour of manual scavenging and given a chance to pursue higher education, the profession followed by his family and caste haunted his identity as a teenager. The profession, though outlawed by the Indian Constitution in 1993, is still the primary occupation of over 180,000 Dalit families, according to the 2011 census data. 

Wilson channeled his anger against the inhumane system into a crusade to eradicate manual scavenging. His life and work has contributed in a big way to the  movement  for eradication of manual scavenging in society. Taking cognizance of Wilson's work in emancipation of manual scavengers, the Magsaysay Award has also flagged manual scavenging as a dehumanizing practice that must be eradicated. This award aims at detaching manual scavenging and sanitary work from Dalits, in the larger context of reforming the caste system, by pushing government agencies to replace manual scavenging with mechanization.

Pradip Bansrior

Executive Secretary

Dalit and Tribal/Adivasi Concerns

National Council of Churches in India

'Black Day' observance on 10th August 2016

Dear Friends,

Like every year, National Council of Churches in India encourages the member Churches and organisations to proactively participate in observing the ‘Black Day’ on 10^th August to raise our protest to the continual negligence of the government to the cry for the rights of Dalit Christians in the country.

The infamous Presidential (Scheduled Caste) Order 1950 was signed on 10^th August 1950 by the then President of India which says “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. But this law, as we are all aware of, keeps the Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians from the fold of Scheduled Caste list.

National Council of Churches in India requests you to kindly observe the ‘Black Day’ by organising protest meeting/ rallies/ demonstrations/ hunger fasts/ submitting memoranda/ candle vigils/ special prayers and other appropriate programmes in your church/institution to express our solidarity with the suffering Christians of Scheduled caste origin.

The member Churches and organisations of NCCI are also requested to wear black badges on 10^th August 2016 and place the posters, which are sent along with this letter in your notice boards. We would appreciate if you send couple of photos and a brief report of the observance to the undersigned.

Thanking you in anticipation,

With regards,

In Christ,

Pradip Bansrior

Executive Secretary

Dalit and Tribal/Adivasi Concerns

National Council of Churches in India

"#RohithVemulaFightsBack" : Peace March for Social Unity

"#RohithVemulaFightsBack" : Peace March for Social Unity    

                                                                               

On the 30^th of January 2016, thousands of Nagpurians with black ribbons strapped around their mouths marched out on the street to protest against the death of Rohith Vemula, a Dalit research scholar from Hyderabad University. The ribbons were tied symbolically to indicate the voices of marginalised people like that of Rohit Vermula being suppressed and their rights being denied. In order to fight for Rohith’s case and such discrimination based on caste, thousands of people from around 50 different organizations gathered at Deekhshabhoomi, the place where the great Dalit leader Dr. Ambedkar embraced Budhhism to do away with the caste system.

NCCI Celebrating Dalit Liberation Sunday

Observance of the NCCI Dalit Liberation Sunday is an annual and significant feature in the NCCI Calendar and we are back to you to remind that as every year we will be observing the Dalit Liberation Sunday with the theme "Climate, Caste, and Care for the Earth" on the 13th November 2015. We have come up with a suggested worship order which could be used wholly or in parts to make the worship more meaningful. Kindly find it in attached file. As it is the season of Advent, if your church calendar is filled, this Sunday may be observed in any other Sunday as well.

Download prayer and worship order 

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.

For Dalits, Tribals and Adivasis, Easter is an opportunity to revive their hope in a new heaven and new earth....

For Dalits, Tribals and Adivasis in India:

Easter is...

An opportunity to revive their hope in a new heaven and new earth....
A time to see the curtain of division and discrimination tore apart....
An attempt of re-formation of human relations as Mother Mary and John had at the cross....
A reminder of the need of endurance and persistence to counter casteism....
An indicator that the possible and certain persecutions they have to undergo....
And a pointer to the fact that if they do not shout aloud, the stones will shout....

Let us have an Easter of resistance to casteism!

Let us celebrate Easter in solidarity with Dalit, Tribals and Adivasis!

Rev. Sunil Raj Philip,
Executive Secretary, Commission on Dalits,
Executive Secretary- in- charge, Commission on Tribals & Adivasis,
National Council of Churches in India.
revsunilrajphilip@gmail.com
Cell: +91 8275045182 

Painting by REV JOHN PRADEEP, who is currently serving as pastor in Telengana, after finishing his theological studies in the United Theological College in Bangalore.

Dalit Liberation Sunday 2014_Worship Order

“Dalit Culture, Dalit history, Dalit pathos:

Regaining the lost identity in Christ”.

We are in a crucial point of time in the Indian history, while we celebrate the Dalit Liberation Sunday in 2014. The grip of fascism and communalism becomes firm on Indian society. These regressive and dangerous elements are only the tip of the iceberg and the undercurrent of all these elements in India is casteism.

Forceful reconversions of the Dalit Christians, adamant denial of any possibility to extend Scheduled Caste status to Christians and Muslims from Dalit origin by a Central Minister of India, brutal killings of Dalits- in which Ahmednagar killing was the most brutal- and the lethargic attitude of police and the state in rendering investigation with justice, and the result of the survey conducted by the Merry Land University of US and National Council of Applied Economic Research that every fourth Indian still believes in untouchability are pointers to the dangerous shift in the Indian social matrix.

The most unfortunate factor is that the church in India is not an exemption from caste- based discrimination. When the Indian society is becoming for and more rightist, and the church is hesitant to take a stand against it, the lives of the Dalits, Tribals, Adivasis and the vulnerable communities in India.

The awakening of Dalits led by the Dalit intellectuals and theologians is the ray of hope amidst the tribulations for Dalits. Regaining the identity of Dalits using cultural ethos, rectified history by firmly focusing on the salvific acts of Christ is the theme of the Dalit Liberation Sunday in 2014. Let us celebrate the identity of Dalits in Christ!

Rev Sunil Raj Philip                                     Ms Ramani Ramya Krupa

Executive Secretary,                                      Chairperson,

Commission on Dalits, NCCI.                     Commission on Dalits, NCCI.

Some ideas for the Dalit Liberation Sunday Worship

Instructions to entry (Drama to enact)

At the beginning of the service, a Dalit man/woman with little dress stands at a corner of the chapel. The minister sees him and invites him to the front side. He walks towards the front.

Scholarship for Dalit Christian Students

The Government of India have issued notification for Pre-Matric, Post-Matric and Merit Cum Means based Scholarships for the year 2014-15 for all minority students including Christians.

It is noted that some of the schools are discouraging DALIT CHRISTIAN STUDENTS in applying for this scholarship. Please report if this happens anywhere this year. We will take this up with the Minority Commission. 

1.Pre- Matric Scholarships of GOI: All Christian Students studying in 1st class to 10th class and whose parental annual income is less than 1.00 Lakh  may apply in online portal <www.epass.cgg.gov.in> . Last date for applying online is 10-09-2014. Online applications should submitted through www.epass.cgg.gov.in  portal.

2.Post- Matric Scholarships: Christian Students studying courses from  Inter upto Ph.D, except Professional, Technical and Self Finance Courses, and whose Parental annual income is less than 2.00 Lakhs  may apply online. The last date  for applying online for fresh students is 30-09-2014 for renewal last date is 10-10-2014.

3.Merit Cum Means Based Scholarships: Christian Students studying in Professional, Technical, Self Finance Courses and Management Quota Candidates are also eligible, and the annual income of the parents should be less than 2.50 Lakhs. All the desirous candidates should apply online and the last date for applying for fresh students is 30-09-2014 and for Renewal students last date is 15-11-2014 .After filling the online applications, the applicants should submit all the hard copies along with all related documents in the O/o Executive Director, Minorities of concerned district. For GOI Pre Matric Scholarship students should apply from the following website: <www.epass.cgg.gov.in>. For GOI Post Matric and Merit Cum Means Based Scholarship students should apply in <www.momascholarship.gov.in>  website. The link for the above websites is provided in the Christian Corporation Portal <www.christianminorities.ap.nic.in> .For more information the students may contact 040-23391068, 1800-425-1068. And Mail Id is <tscmfc@yahoo.co.in>

4.Central sector Scheme Scholarship, by Ministry of Human Resource New Delhi. Eligibility: Students who Pass with 80% in 10+2, will be given monthly Rs.1000/- for degree course & PG 2 years Rs.2000/- to the poor students. Income Criteria:the income ceiling is Rs. 4.5 lakhs (revised to Rs. 6 lakhs) per annum. A fresh income certificate each year will not be called for provided the scholarship fulfils all other terms and conditions stipulated for the renewal. Scholarship will be paid only to those students whose parent’s/guardian’s income from all sources does not exceed Rs. 4.5 lakh (revised to Rs. 6 lakhs) per annum, for all categories under the scheme. for more details and online application please copy & paste below given link.

<http://www.cbse.nic.in/Scholarship/Webpages/Guidelines%20and%20AF.html> 

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

UGC Invites Applications from Dalits, Tribal, Adivasis and Women for Scholarships

UGC invites online applications for the award of Various Fellowships, Scholarships and various Research award. There are various scholarships for the Dalits, Tribal, and women students. Please note that only applications submitted through online shall be entertained. 

You may find details in the website of UGC 

http://www.ugc.ac.in/ugc_notices.aspx

Rev. Sunil Raj Philip,Executive Secretary, Commission on Dalits,National Council of Churches in India,Cell:  +91- 8275045182Email: <revsunilrajphilip@gmail.com> 

Report of YOUNG THEOLOGIANS CONCLAVE "Ecclesiology in the Cyber Age"

National Council of Churches in India organized a Young Theologians Conclave in partnership with the support from The Church of Finland and with help from promoters and partners from Church of Ireland and Church of England in Ecumenical Christian Centre, UTC, Bangalore from June 26-27, 2014.

The theme of the Programme was “Ecclesiology in Cyber Age”. The aim of the Programme succeeded by gathering Young Theologians who are techno savy and cyber oriented to come together to devise plans and ideas to respond to the changing definition of Church in the Cyber Age. The diverse Challenges that were faced by the young people were discussed, the threats posed by the Cyber age were brought to the fore and the action plans were devised to ensure that we respond so that the Church will become a relevant Church even with the growing challenges of the changing times. The various presentations have thrown light on the Cyber Age, Cyber space and the Cyber Church.

Govt Attorney prepares to file the reply on the Dalit Christian reservation issue in the Supreme Court of India.

SC status issue of Dalit Christians’ case came for hearing in the Supreme Court of India on 8th July 2014. The Government attorney asked for two weeks time for the new Central Government to file the reply. The case may be listed after two weeks.

Mr. Prashant Bhushan (Centre for Public Interest Litigation) put forward the pertinent point that that Sikhism and Buddhism do not recognise caste system but they were given SC status. Christianity also does not recognise caste system but since the Dalit Christians are living in the larger society where the caste system is practiced they should be given SC status. Advocates Mr. Franklin Caesar Thomas, Ms. Tehmina, Ms. Loregin, Mr. Aristotle, Sr. Sneha were present in the court on our behalf.

Rev. Sunil Raj Philip,

Executive Secretary,Commission on Dalits,National Council of Churches in India

<revsunilrajphilip@gmail.com>

Cell: +91- 8275045182

SC Status issue of Dalit Christians' case listed in the Supreme Court for 8th July 2014

SC status issue of Dalit Christians’ case is listed in the Supreme Court for 8^th July 2014

Dear co- workers for the justice to the Dalits in Christianity and Islam, 

It is very encouraging to know that the Writ Petition 180/2004 is listed in Court No. 2 as item no.20 in the final list for 08.07.14 in the Supreme Court of India.

This Writ Petition has challenged the Constitution Scheduled Caste Order 1950 Para 3 which denies SC status to Christians and Muslims of Scheduled Caste origin. The National Council of Churches in India and CBCI Office for SC/BC have impleaded in this case.