Christians hail caste inclusion in census
http://www.sakaaltimes.com/SakaalTimesBeta/20100513/5741562463657674903.htm
CAMIL PARKHE
Thursday, May 13, 2010 AT 01:23 PM (IST)
Tags: CBCI, Church, caste, census, Christianity, Dalit Christians
PUNE: The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), the apex body of the Catholic Church in the country, has welcomed the government’s willingness to include caste in the national census.
The CBCI has said that the move will facilitate identification of the dalit Christians - the erstwhile untouchables converted to Christianity - and help them get benefits extended to dalits belonging
to other religions.
In an interview to a Christian website, Fr Babu Joseph, CBCI spokesperson, welcomed the Centre’s proposal and said that since caste remains a social reality, there should be the “actual picture of people belonging to a particular caste.” However, such data should be used for ‘our long term aim of removing caste’ from society, he said.
The Church, which does not endorse casteism in its community, however recognises existence of dalits in its fold and has been demanding that they should be given all the concessions given to dalit Sikhs and Buddhists.
Fr Malcolm Sequeira, spokesperson of Pune diocese, has said that mere religious conversion does not bring any changes into the socio-economic status of the dalits. Therefore, dalit Christians should not be discriminated on the grounds of their religion. Fr Sequeira said that the census form should have two separate columns for caste and religions, so that even dalit Christians or dalits of any religion may be able to specify their caste as well as religion.
Tribals from northeastern states converted to Christianity continue to get quota meant for scheduled tribes even after conversion. This benefit is not extended to the dalits Christians, formerly belonging to various scheduled castes.
http://www.sakaaltimes.com/SakaalTimesBeta/20100513/5741562463657674903.htm
CAMIL PARKHE
Thursday, May 13, 2010 AT 01:23 PM (IST)
Tags: CBCI, Church, caste, census, Christianity, Dalit Christians
PUNE: The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), the apex body of the Catholic Church in the country, has welcomed the government’s willingness to include caste in the national census.
The CBCI has said that the move will facilitate identification of the dalit Christians - the erstwhile untouchables converted to Christianity - and help them get benefits extended to dalits belonging
to other religions.
In an interview to a Christian website, Fr Babu Joseph, CBCI spokesperson, welcomed the Centre’s proposal and said that since caste remains a social reality, there should be the “actual picture of people belonging to a particular caste.” However, such data should be used for ‘our long term aim of removing caste’ from society, he said.
The Church, which does not endorse casteism in its community, however recognises existence of dalits in its fold and has been demanding that they should be given all the concessions given to dalit Sikhs and Buddhists.
Fr Malcolm Sequeira, spokesperson of Pune diocese, has said that mere religious conversion does not bring any changes into the socio-economic status of the dalits. Therefore, dalit Christians should not be discriminated on the grounds of their religion. Fr Sequeira said that the census form should have two separate columns for caste and religions, so that even dalit Christians or dalits of any religion may be able to specify their caste as well as religion.
Tribals from northeastern states converted to Christianity continue to get quota meant for scheduled tribes even after conversion. This benefit is not extended to the dalits Christians, formerly belonging to various scheduled castes.
