MUMBAI, India – Catholic leaders in India are complaining the rights of Catholic Dalits are being violated.
Dalits are the class of people formerly known as “Untouchables” in the Hindu religion, which are the lowest class. Under India’s national constitution they are given special rights and protection.
However, Dalits who become Christian are often denied these rights.
The Syro-Malabar Church of Changanassery Archdiocese has issued a circular in churches against the central and state governments.
Archbishop of Changanassery Mar Thomas Tharayil said the governments are sidelining the Christian community.
“Daily life is becoming difficult due to threats posed by buffer zones, environmental laws, wildlife attacks, forest law stipulations and waqf legal actions. If public welfare is the goal, intervention by central and state govts is essential to make it possible,” the circular said
It added that despite the Justice Benjamin Koshy Commission being appointed to study the educational, social and economic backwardness of Christian minority groups in Kerala and propose welfare schemes, the report submitted to govt on May 17, 2023, remains undisclosed and entangled in procedural delays.
The archdiocese asked if it is alleged that vested interests are behind the non-disclosure of this report, which is believed to contain several recommendations beneficial for the survival and existence of the Kerala Christian community, “who can deny it?”
Father Antony Vadakkekara, the Public Relations Officer of the Syro-Malabar Church told Crux the state’s farmers – many of whom are Dalits – are being ignored.
“Farmers are not only Catholics- Syro Malabar or Latin, but farmers who belong to all religions and also those who do not follow a religion,” he said.
Farmers should be given their due, especially the paddy farmers and rubber farmers,” he said.
“Laws regarding the forest and the animals in the forest need to be amended to safeguard the farmers and farmland,” the priest continued.
Also regarding to educational Institutions: Institutions owned by private parties, should have legitimate freedom in the running and management of the educational Institutions,” Vadakkekara said.
Father Devasagaya Raj, the former secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) Office for Dalits and Backward Classes, told Crux that Dalit Christians are spread throughout the country, but our especially in the southern states.
“Kerela has the most Christian population in the country. After the coming of the Portuguese missionaries many Dalits converted to Christianity, not only in Latin Rite but also in the other two Syrian rites,” he said.
“Since the Scheduled Caste (SC) status of reservation is denied to the Dalit Christians they are economically backward and socially still excluded. Honor killing of a Dalit Christian in Kerala few years back clearly shows the discrimination of the Dalit Christians by the society. The central government should treat all people equally with no discrimination,” Raj said.
