Christian activists hit the reported move by the Indian federal government to set up a national commission to study the socioeconomic and educational status of Dalit converts to Christianity and Islam.
The activists said it will only prolong the issue of granting reservation to the poorest in the country.
Franklin Caesar Thomas, coordinator of the National Council of Dalit Christians, and John Dayal, a veteran journalist and activist, said several commissions and committees set up by previous governments have endorsed the socio-educational backwardness of Christians and Muslims of Dalit origin people.
“The government is repeating what was done two decades ago by retired chief justice of India Ranganath Misra commission, Justice Rajender Sachar commission, and a high powered committee led by Professor Satish Deshpande who found religion did not matter where social status of Dalits in India was concerned,” Dayal told Matters India.
He said Dalits deserved affirmative action irrespective of religion, adding that it discriminated against Pasmanda Muslims and Dalit Christians.
Franklin cited several government commissions and committees and studies that have found the socioeconomic and educational backwardness among Dalit converts to Christianity and Islam, including the Kalelkar Commission report, Mandal Commission report, parliamentary committee on untouchability headed by Elayaperumal, high power committee on minorities 1983, cabinet Note of 1996 and the related bill, national commission on review of the Constitution, Sachar committee recommendation, and Ranganath Misra Commission report.
“Affidavits of the National Commission for Minorities and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes filed in the Supreme Court have endorsed the socio-educational backwardness arising out of the practice of untouchability concerning the plight of Christians and Muslims of SC origin people,” Franklin told Matters India.
The proposed commission is being formed to prolong the issue and avoid granting the Scheduled Caste status to the poorest people, he said.
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