BRS meeting with KG Balakrishnan Commission concludes; submits representation seeking SC status for Dalit Christians
New Delhi, June 9
The meeting between a Bharat Rashtra Samithi delegation and the Chairman of the National Inquiry Commission, Justice KG Balakrishnan, concluded in New Delhi on Tuesday, with the party submitting a detailed representation seeking Scheduled Caste status for Dalit Christians.
The delegation included Rajya Sabha Deputy Floor Leader Vaddiraju Ravichandra, former Minister Koppula Eshwar, party General Secretary RS Praveen Kumar, and former Corporation Chairman Rajiv Sagar, among others.
Earlier, YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) MP Maddila Gurumoorthy, along with a party delegation, recently met the Commission's chairperson and submitted a detailed representation seeking inclusion of Christians of Scheduled Caste origin under the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950.
In his letter, Gurumoorthy stated, "I most respectfully submit this representation before the Hon'ble Justice Balakrishnan Commission seeking inclusion of Christians of Scheduled Caste origin within the ambit of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, in furtherance of the constitutional principles of equality, secularism, social justice, and substantive non-discrimination."
He also referred to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly's unanimous resolution adopted on March 24, 2023, where former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and the YSRCP recognised that Dalit Christians remain socially and economically backward, recommending their inclusion in the SC list.
"It is pertinent to submit that the former Chief Minister, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, on behalf of the YSR Congress Party, through a unanimous resolution adopted by the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly on 24 March 2023, categorically resolved that Dalit Christians continue to remain socially, educationally, and economically backward to the same extent as Scheduled Castes professing Hinduism, Sikhism, and Buddhism, and accordingly supported their inclusion in the Scheduled Castes list," the letter stated.
Gurumoorthy further argued that exclusion of Dalit Christians amounts to religion-based classification and said that conversion does not erase caste-based disadvantages. He also highlighted that despite facing similar social and economic conditions, Dalit Christians remain outside the ambit of protections under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
He added that Article 341(2) of the Constitution empowers Parliament to include communities in the SC list and urged that the provision be applied in line with current social realities and constitutional principles.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is a complex issue. On one hand, conversion shouldn't erase historical disadvantages. But will this open doors for other communities to demand SC status after conversion? We need clear guidelines, not just political point-scoring. 🤔
Good step by BRS and YSRCP. The Constitution promises equality but Dalit Christians are being denied basic rights like reservation in education and jobs. The Supreme Court has also indicated that caste discrimination doesn't end with conversion. About time this anomaly is fixed.
I'm from a Dalit Christian family. My grandparents were forced to convert for better treatment, but we still face the same caste stigma. Getting SC status would mean our children can access education and government jobs. This isn't about religion - it's about social justice and ending generational poverty.
I respect the sentiment but I'm worried about legal complications. If Dalit Christians get SC status, what about Dalit Muslims? Or other backward caste converts? The 1950 order needs comprehensive reform, not piecemeal changes. Still, any step towards equality is welcome. 🙏
Both BRS and YSRCP are using this as vote bank politics. But even a broken clock is right twice a day - if this leads to actual policy change that helps Dalit Christians, I'm all for it. Let's see if the Commission takes this seriously or it becomes another report that gathers dust.
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