Andhra Pradesh State Assembly Resolves to Grant Scheduled Caste (SC) Status to Dalit Christians & Dalit Muslims

Observing the gravity of genuineness in the struggle for justice of Dalit Christians and analyzing the deep need to address discrimination done against Dalits, the Andhra Pradesh State Assembly,on the 25th August 2009 adopted a resolution urging the Central Government to extend the benefits of Scheduled Castes (SC) to Christians and Muslims of Dalit origin. The Chief Minister of the State Dr. Y.S. Rajashekar Reddy, moved the resolution seeking the Center to amend the Constitution by granting Scheduled Caste (SC) status to Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims, for they have been facing discrimination like other Dalits. All other political parties in the Assembly, including the Telugu Desam Party, the Praja Rajyam Party, the MIM, and the Communists supported the resolution. The BJP and the Lok Satta party who have two members and one member respectively in the State Assembly objected the resolution.

The sensitivity of the Andhra Pradesh Government towards the struggles of Christians and Muslims of Dalit origin deserve appreciations for such a resolution moved by Dr. Reddy would further pressurize the Central Government to act swiftly and prudently in granting Scheduled Caste (SC) status to Dalit Christians & Dalit Muslims. The struggle for justice by Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims has been a long battle, though several political parties at the Center expressed their deep concern to the cause. Due to lack of political will in taking a decision, justice has been delayed.

Dr. Reddy is the third Chief Minister in India who have moved a resolution in favour of Dalit Christians struggle for justice in a State Assembly. Prior to him, Mr. Laloo Prasad Yadav the former Chief Minister of Bihar was the first one to move a resolution in his State Assembly and later it was Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav the former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh who moved a similar resolution in his State Assembly regarding Dalit Christians. We welcome the move of the Andhra Pradesh State Assembly, and hope that justice is not too far away for Dalit Christians & Dalit Muslims.

These resolutions in the State Assemblies will garnish support for the cause and shall exert pressure on the Central Government to act justly in granting SC status to Dalit Christians & Dalit Muslims. On the sidelines of a Public Interest Litigation hearing in the Supreme Court of India seeking justice for Dalit Christians, and in the light of the recent statement of the Minister of Minorities Mr. Salman Khursheed expressing his willingness to grant SC status to Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims, it is time for us as Churches to intensifying our advocacy and lobbying for this cause.

In the process of our mission as advocacy, the Churches in India are encouraged to exert pressure on their State Governments to move similar resolutions in their States, and also lobby with the local Members of Parliament to amend the Constitution specially the 1950 Presidential Order. The Church leadership in India owns this issue of justice for Dalit Christians & Dalit Muslims and are committed to strive to achieve it. Justice is triumphant, truly it is!



26th August 2009

National Kandhamal Day - Challenges

On 23rd August 2008, when some miscreants killed Swami Lakshamananda Saraswathy, it became the occasion for the fundamentalistic forces to take on the Dalit Christians in Kandhamal, Orissa. From the day after, as the news spread, violence spiraled and several Dalit Christians were massacred, their properties were destroyed, their worshipping places dismantled, their livelihoods were attacked, and those fundamentalists were successful in instilling fear among Dalit Christians. Herewith, I bring out few challenges, as we observe this day commemorating the Kandhamal episode last year.

Interfaith Peace Process
The brutal violence and bloodshed for the last one year in Orissa on Dalit Christians, caused in the name of faith, caste, ethnicity, have not gone out of memories in the minds of people. From 24th August 2008, attacks, assaults, massacres on Dalit Christians began and spiraled all along the months in different forms and scores. Some organizations are observing today as National Kandhamal Day by organizing inter-denominational prayer meeting for peace, healing and reconciliation. Thanks for such gestures by all those organizations, in promoting peace and reconciliation. Appreciations to all those organizing this prayer for peace, which is the need of the hour. My only reticence in observing this day as a Christian event, once again makes us parochial, only sensitive to Christian needs. For the last one-year, we Christians cannot forget the solidarity, support and co-operation we received from all corners of civil society. Several responsible citizens came out in public and marched along with us in the journey and demand for justice. The violence in Kandhamal is not just a regional issue, not just a Christian issue but certainly a national issue concerned to all the citizens of India. The violence that spiraled after Kandhamal had several greater effects on the secular fabric of India and on the ethos of community living in India.

Wipe Away the Pages of August 2008
The conditions of people in Kandhamal, still the survivors of that carnage a year ago, are to be resettled, peace & reconciliation are still a distant dream for them, the memory of violence has not passed a year for them, it seems it had happened only yesterday. How would these survivors of violence observe this day? Probably they may not want to think of Aug 23-24, 2008 any longer in their lives, for those days and days after have completely shattered their lives and livelihood. Most of those surviving children will have to grow with memories of pain and bloodshed of their dear ones. Imagine the impact these acts of violence that would have made on the young minds. Fear, conflicts, violence, assaults, injuries, insults, deaths, destructions etc. will all be part of their memory, I bet can never be forgotten in their life time. On what faith can the parents nurture their children in such a context?

A Call for Social Audit
More than just a memory today, I think on this day, the government, the civil society, the inter-faith organizations and the Churches should take a social audit of their peace engagements for the last one-year. What has been their response to the violence, and how have they been channeling peace and reconciliation? How have been the labyrinths of issues addressed? How effective where their advocacy and solidarity roles? Is peace and reconciliation a possibility through their efforts? What have they achieved in countering violence and establishing peace?

Building Peace Communities
This day calls all of us to build communities of peace in our localities. Let each of us give up our exclusivistic claims, and strive for peace and harmony in our area. The Kandhamal is a challenge for all the responsible citizens to be ambassadors of peace. Never ever give up that peace was defeated, that secularism was defeated, but let the challenge be on us to be the channel of peace, building peace communities, where unity in diversity is affirmed. Let us be truthful to our conscience and make peace a reality.

Saluting the Dalit Christian Martyrs
Today, also calls us to salute the Dalit Christian martyrs of Kandhamal, who have been innocently killed, for the sake of affirming their faith openly and freely. These Dalit Christian martyrs will serve as an inspiration, for they as Dalits chose a faith, which was liberating and chose to practice it in all boldness. These Dalit Christians have been massacred for being Dalit and for being Christian. They have left a legacy of liberation and transformation, which I think will have to be carried by us.

Martyr O Dalit Christian martyr,
Your lives were made a satire,
By those with that saffron attire,
For some are killed by fire,
And some made as pyre,
On whom they had to play their lyre,
Of hatred, vengeance, death entire.

You stand as an inspiration,
your faith withstood the intimidation,
by forces of caste and condemnation.
may we carry your spirit of perspiration,
to keep up your aspiration.

Channels of peace we are called,
when Exclusivism is stalled,
And Inclusivism is installed.

10th August 1950 An Unjust Story…

Plight History
On the 14th August 1947, India was declared independent free from the union jack, where celebrations waved across India for the freedom it has attained. The Constitution of India came into force on the 26th January 1950, and on the same day was also declared India as a Republic, with the total sovereignty given to its citizens. But freedom for Dalits to choose their own religion to preach and practice has been curtailed with a Presidential Order in 1950.

It was on10th August 1950, the then President of India brought out the list of Scheduled Castes through a Presidential Order, which has been known as Constitution (Scheduled Caste) Order of 1950. Unfortunately the President then included the clause that the Scheduled Castes need to be affiliated with a particular religion to receive such status and provisions. This inclusion of religion clause deters the freedom of religion to its citizens, and after several people’s movements protested, it was in 1956 Sikhism was added and in 1990 Buddhism was added to that order.

Plight Continues
But the plight of the Christians of Scheduled Caste origin and Muslims of Scheduled Caste origins still continue for they have been denied equal status like the other Dalits. The fight has been on and even after 59 years, justice to these our brothers and sisters is unfulfilled and unreachable. The Central Government sponsored National Commission for Religious and Linguistics Minorities (NCRLM) headed by Justice Ranghanath Misra has already submitted its report to the PMO, studying the discrimination done to religious minorities of Dalit origin, and reports confirm that the Commission has recommended to ‘de-link religion in granting Scheduled Caste status’. The Supreme Court is also hearing Public Interest Litigation in this regard and the judgment has been delayed by the delay from the Central Government’s response in delivering its opinion on the issue. The recent dharna for justice in New Delhi has instilled rays of hope for the communities who have been awaiting justice, though we have heard several unfulfilled promises from the politicians and leaders in the ruling parties. For politicians, though they express that this is a genuine struggle for justice, lack of political will on their part, for fear of majority religious fundamentalist forces and for reasons best known for a voices of tiny minorities in India have been going unheard or either told to deaf ears.

Price Paid
However, 61 years of waiting for justice to Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims was not an easy wait. When most Christians of Scheduled Caste origin were attacked and humiliated in the name of caste they were not protected under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act for they are not Scheduled Castes according to the Government census. Most Christians and Muslims of Scheduled Caste have not been selected to most of the educational institutions and have been denied promotions in their jobs, because they are do not have a Scheduled Caste certificate like their other relatives, who still have either Hinduism or Buddhism as their religion on certificates.

Prosecuting Justice
At this point it is interesting to note that some of the Christian leaders have told their congregations to openly write as Buddhists or Hindus on the Government issued caste certificates in order to avail the Scheduled Caste status, and are free to attend the Church and participate in its sacraments. On the other hand, there are few Christian Churches, who taught their congregations that to be Christian is to take up our Cross, and therefore not being granted Scheduled Caste status is the will of God on their part and is the Cross, which has to be bore in this world. So a tiny rich Christians are happy that they are not Scheduled Castes, like those others in the Church. These Christians discriminate the Scheduled Caste people within the Church, and proclaim the wrath of God by quoting Jesus’ words “ For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angles.” (Luke 9: 26)

These quoting of Jesus’ words are from the people, who think their citizenship is only in heaven and not here and who are absolutely unaware of the Constitutional rights of citizens in India. This situation brings to the discussion the caste system prevailed within the Churches today. The upper caste rich Christians are self-content and do not have any discrimination or any facilities lacking for they are complacent and can achieve by paying money. Therefore they preach such things and force on the poor Dalit Christians. I really wonder, is fighting for Scheduled Caste status to Christians of Scheduled Caste origin is to be ashamed of Christ’s name? No not at all, on the other way those not fighting for the cause of Scheduled Caste Status for Christians are being ashamed of Christ’s name and the gospel of liberation preached by Jesus Christ.

Proceeding in Hope…
Dharna after dharna, delegations after delegations, several ways of expressing our displeasure against the lethargy of the ruling governments continue and will continue, our peoples struggle for justice will thrive one day, for we are on the constant march towards justice and liberation. We dwell with a hope against hope, yet keeping our fingers crossed some times, holding our grips in tight, we are confident that justice will be triumphant   Wherever you are, kindly make sure you shall keep advocating and lobbying for this cause and personally I feel hope is not too far away. Let us take up advocacy for Dalit Christians as a faith issue and justice as a faith issue.

Let us not lose our hope,
Justice spiraled as a rope,
Building trust as we cope,
Victory will never grope.

Advocacy is a way of mission,
Conspiracy is nowhere in session,
Democracy within its vision,
Efficiency in all its commission.

Marching together side by side,
Searching inclusivity far and wide,
Torching rays of hope in stride,
Approaching justice in all its tide.



August 2011

Rev. John Rangiah, the Unsung Hero of World Missionary Conference in Edinburgh, 1910

According to the recorded statistics of those registered delegates at the Edinburgh World Missionary Conference in 1910, there were about 1,215 delegates participated from across the world. Among them there were about 17 participants from Asia either called as Natives or participants from younger churches. Out of which there were 8 Indians who participated in this conference either as representatives of the mission boards or as guests by the executive committees.

Bishop V.S. Azariah (then a reverend) was one of the prominent delegates who made a famous speech on “Give Us Friends” in the Conference, for which he has been ever cherished and remembered for. Rev. K.C. Chatterjee, the then recently elected Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of India from Punjab, was among the two Asians upon whom an honorary doctorate was conferred upon by the University of Edinburgh then, in 1910. He also led an opening devotion in the Commission IV of the Conference and also explained his experiences as the only Hindu convert among the delegates. Rev. Thang Khan Sangma was the other Indian who attended the conference, and was a Baptist Evangelist from Tura, who was serving the Garo Tribes in Assam (then) in North East India. He was pursuing his higher studies in Newton Theological Institution in Massachusetts, USA. He also made a courageous speech countering the British stance in the discussions on “Missions and Governments.” Twelve of the seventeen delegates from Asia were given chance to speak to the conference.

It has been a known fact that there has been an absence of African delegates in the Conference. However there were some African American Missionaries who attended. Rev. Dr. Alexander Camphor, who was born in Louisiana was serving as a missionary in Liberia was one of them. Besides Camphor, there was also a non-African missionary serving in South Africa who attended the World Missionary Conference, and he is none other but Rev. John Rangiah.

Rev. John Rangiah (1866-1915) was a Telugu Baptist Christian who was sent from Andhra Pradesh, India to Natal, South Africa in June 1903 by Telugu Baptist Home Missionary Society, representing the America Baptist Foreign Mission Society. He was a Headmaster of a girl’s high school in Nellore, Andhra Padesh prior to be sent as a missionary. He was probably the first overseas missionary sent out by any missions of American Baptists. He was sent as a missionary to work among the Telugu immigrants, who were taken as labourers to work in the sugar plantations in Natal, South Africa. The Baptist missionaries felt that this immigrant Telugu community were like a ‘sheep without a shepherd’, and therefore had to sent Rev. John and his wife to serve them. By his pioneering missionary works, he established a first church on 27th December 1903, just after the Christmas celebrations, with about 63 members. It has been recorded that by 1910, Rev. John was pivotal in establishing 10 churches in Pietermaritzburg, Durban and Natal, where a strong Indian Baptist community was established. Rev. John Rangiah attended the World Missionary Conference in Edinburgh as one of the five Asian representatives of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society. Though he had not made any speech or public contribution at the Conference, but his benign presence had an impact in mutual learning to him as well as to the other missionaries participating there. It was even said that Rev. John Rangiah attended the Conference in Scotland bare-footed, for he has always been a bare-footed missionary, probably bare-footed in every sense of the word. That would have made the other participating missionaries in the Conference to discuss about “mission on bare-foot.”

In a country of ours, where Willaim Carey, Bartholomaus Ziegenbalg, and others are hailed for their contributions, Rev. John Rangiah may not have the sufficient space in the history of missions in India. However, as we gear up towards celebrating the 2010 centenary of the Edinburgh World Missionary Conference, it is time for us Indian Christians to pay rich tribute to these unsung heroes from India who attended the Conference. These heroes history to the mission of the Church would have been unnoticed and neglected, but time is ripe that we need to bring into light their histories, their contributions and need to thank God for their life, witness and mission. Let us draw inspirations from these people of God, and let us dedicate to be the proud heirs of such rich legacy of mission.

O God of our help in ages past
Our hope for years to come,
Come 2010, come to ignite us to be a spark of transformation in our society,
Come 2010, come to involve us to journey with the oppressed and excluded people,
Come 2010, come to invite us to friendship with other people of faith and gender,
Come 2010, come to invigorate us to wake us from deep slumber of complacency,
Come 2010, come to instruct us to widen and deepen the Reign of God here on earth,
Come 2010, come to inspect us to seek our true commitment for mission of God,
Come 2010, come to inspire us to participate vibrantly in the mission of God.

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Details collected from Brian Stanley’s book The World Missionary Conference.