Dalit Christians: Right to reservations
Camil Parkhe
Published by:
Indian Society for Promotion of Christian Knowledge
New Delhi
Dalit status did not end with conversion to Christianity
Casteism is unique to Indian culture. Even if a person does not believe in caste, there is no escaping it. An Indian is known by his/her caste and sub-caste. Marriages and other social interactions are based upon caste considerations.
Even the communists who proclaim themselves as atheists or agnostics could not shed caste, much to their own discomfort. Late socialist leader and former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Nanasaheb (N G) Gorey often said that he was a Brahmin by ‘accident’. But society refused to accept his plea and the caste identity prevailed.
Veteran Marathi poet Rev Narayan Waman Tilak, social reformer and nationalist Pandita Ramabai and Rev Nilkanthshastri ‘Nehemiah’ Gore were all prominent Marathi Christians who made valuable contributions in their chosen fields. Ironically, the society in Maharashtra remembers them as Chitpawans, a sub caste of Brahmins, who converted to Christianity.
Thus in the eyes of the society, caste and sub caste of an individual cannot be erased even after giving up Hinduism and embracing Christianity. The stranglehold of caste on the Indian mind is best captured in the Marathi proverb Jaat Naahi Ti Jaat (What cannot be cast off is caste).
One’s parents and place of birth cannot be changed. The same applies to one’s caste too. One cannot help it. Christians who belong to the erstwhile untouchable castes in the Hindu social structure experience this everyday.
Who are the dalits ?
There are many definitions of the term ‘dalit’, all of which apply to the dalit Christians who formerly belonged to the Hindu untouchable castes in Maharashtra. Therefore, these dalit Christians can stake their claim to reservations and other concessions granted under the Indian Constitution to all members of the erstwhile untouchable communities in the country. .
Dr. Shankarrao Kharat, former Vice Chancellor of Marathwada University, while discussing the concept of dalits had said: “The term dalit includes castes which as per the Hindu religion and culture were considered as ‘untouchables’. The term also includes erstwhile ex-criminal tribes and the tribals (adivasis) who live in jungles and ravines like wild animals, away from human civilsation.1
“Since these people were kept far away from the Hindu culture permanently, they remained culturally backward. From the Hindu cultural point of view, the social and economic levels of all these castes and tribes are almost similar. Their woes more or less are the same. High caste culture has intertwined them in a single entity. All of them share a similar predicament. They have been kept away from villages and communities for generations. The slavery of these castes and tribes is social, economic and also cultural, therefore the term dalit includes all these neglected classes of castes and tribes.2
Pragat Padavidhar Sanghatana (Progressive Graduates Association), a Pune-based organisation, had launched an intensive movement in the 1970s to demand reservations and other facilities for dalit Christians in Maharashtra. The Government of Maharashtra included the dalit Christians in the State in Other Backward Caste (OBC) category in 1978. The entire credit of this goes to the movement launched by the young dalit Christians inspired by Fr Matthew Lederle, Fr Leo Desai and Fr Christopher Shelke.
The Progressive Graduates Association had published a book ‘Upekshit Khristi Samaj’ (Neglected Christian Community) to press the demand for reservations to dalit Christians. Even after embracing Christianity, these members of former Hindu untouchable communities could not get rid of the stigma attached to their existence, described in the book as follows:3
‘’There is a proverb in Marathi ‘ Gao tethe Maharwada’ (meaning ‘wherever there is a village, there is a colony of Mahars’). The colonies of the Mahars and Mangs (two predominant castes of untouchables) continue to be referred to as Maharwada and Mangwada even after these persons have become Christians. Conversion to Christianity has not changed the way their colonies are referred to, just as mere conversion has not brought any changes in their social or financial status. Their standard of living, language, foot habits and culture remain the same as other family members and relatives who have either continued to be Hindu Mahars or Mangs or have embraced Buddhism. All of them are erstwhile untouchables. Notwithstanding the conversions, in rural areas the upper caste people even today refer to the dalit Christians by their erstwhile caste names and call them as Mahars or Mangs.
Many Christian Mahars and Mangs were and still are dependent on uppercaste families of their villages. They are compelled to perform low-level tasks in their villages. Till the last decade, the dalit Christians would carry out degrading tasks like disposing off dead cattle. The untouchables, who also included Christians, went door to door and ate whatever food was thrown at them. While walking on village roads, they had to carry their footwear in hands, which had to be locked behind their backs, while the mandatory earthen pots hung around their necks to serve as spittoons. Their touch and shadow was considered inauspicious and they were prohibited from drawing water from public wells. They had to walk all the way to the lower end of the river to fill water. The dalit Christians’ dwelt with other untouchables, and took isolated roads, away from the main approaches used by upper castes, for moving around the village. Due to their very low social status, all the avenues of economic progress and prosperity remain closed to the dalit Christians. There is absolutely no distinction at all between other erstwhile untouchables and dalit Christians. The only difference is while the other dalits like dalit Hindus, neo-Buddhists and dalit Sikhs have been granted reservations and various other concessions by the Government of India, the dalit Christians have been denied the same till date. The government and the society have many misconceptions about the dalit Christian community, which is the primary reason for this community having remained neglected for several years. ‘’
‘‘Conversion has not changed the conditions of the dalits’’
Dr. Kharat
Dr. Shankarrao Kharat has discussed in his Marathi book ‘ Dalit Wangmay Prerana wa Pravrutti’ that there is no change in the conditions of the dalits even after their conversion to Buddhism. Dr. Kharat says, “During Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s movement of conversion, millions of untouchables gave up Hinduism and embraced Buddhism. These Buddhists are not Hindus by religion anymore. They are neo-Buddhists. Although they are now neo-Buddhists, they have been exploited for centuries by rich classes and high caste people. Therefore they have remained economically backward. They live in poor conditions. Secondly, the high caste people continue to look down upon them socially. Therefore, the neo-Buddhists are compelled to continue their fight for freedom from high caste attitudes. 4
The state of people converted into Buddhism, as described by Dr. Kharat, holds true for all those who have been converted from untouchable communities into Christianity or Sikhism. Similarly, if the untouchables embrace Islam or any other religion, the argument will still be applicable to them. Conversion to Buddhism, Sikhism or Christianity has not brought any changes in the conditions of the untouchables except the change in their religion. Hence, all these erstwhile untouchables, irrespective of their present religion, have natural right to reservations and other concessions. No logic or principle of natural justice can deny dalit Christians the right to reservations.
The condition of the erstwhile untouchables who got converted to Buddhism, along with Dr Ambedkar, did not change after conversion. Therefore in 1960, the government of Maharashtra decided to extend reservations and other concessions to the neo-Buddhists. In 1990, the V. P. Singh government took a decision to extend reservations and other concessions to neo-Buddhists across the country. Dalit Sikhs were granted reservations and other concessions at the national level as early as 1956. The decisions of the Government of Maharashtra and the Government of India to extend reservations to these non-Hindu dalits were in conformity with the principle of natural justice. However, this principle of natural justice has not been applied to the dalit Christians in Maharashtra, or at the national level.
In some southern and northern Indian States, however, various concessions have been extended to dalit and tribal Christians on par with dalits belonging to other religions.
One of the reasons for not extending the reservations and other concessions to dalit Christians is that the very concept of ‘dalit Christians’ was not acceptable to governments. Fortunately, a gradual change in the attitude of the governments is being observed during the past few years. Due to the intensive struggle by dalit Christian groups, some south Indian States have recognised the dalit Christians and extended various concessions to them. In north India, the tribal Christians do get benefits of reservations and other concessions even after their conversion to Christianity. The former Speaker of Lok Sabha P. A. Sangma and former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Ajit Jogi are tribal Christians. Unlike the dalit Christians in Maharashtra, the tribal Christians in north India and the northeastern States, are well organised, united and well aware of their rights. These tribal Christians of northeast do not tolerate any kind of injustice meted out to them in the name of their religion.
Even the Maharashtra government has acknowledged the social and economic backwardness of the dalit Christians. The people from the erstwhile untouchable Hindu communities who embraced Christianity are now included in the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) category. The government has thus accepted that the dalit Christians are erstwhile untouchables. But why have they been included in the OBC category and not the Scheduled Castes (SCs) category like the untouchable communities, which converted to either Buddhism or Sikhism?
The denial of reservations and concessions to the dalit Christians in the country is a grave injustice to this community. The issue raised by the dalit Christians is: “If erstwhile untouchables get converted to Buddhism or Sikhism, their right to reservation and other concessions remains intact. Then, why the same logic or principle is not extended to the dalit Christians”.
The Supreme Court of India posed the same question to the Central government during the hearing of a public interest litigation seeking inclusion of the dalit Christians among the Scheduled Castes to secure reservations for this community. The Central government has not responded so far and the case is pending. However, the movement for reservations and other concessions for dalit Christians, which has been going on for the last four decades, is gaining momentum.
References:
Dr. Shankarrao Kharat. ‘Dalit Wangmay: Prerana Ani Pravrutti’ Publisher- Inamdar Bandhu Prakashan, 637, Sadashiv Peth, Pune- 411 030, First edition 1978, (Page 16).
As above (Page 17,18).
‘Upekshit Khristi Samaj’ Samajhit Mala 1, Authors- On behalf of ‘Pragat Padvidhar Sanghatana’ – Antony Salve, Pratap Pandit, Sonyabapu Waghmare, and Joseph D. Adhav. Publisher – Fr Julius D’Souza (S J), Marg Prakashan, Thomas Stevens Nivas, 2008, St Vincent Marg, Pune –411 001, First edition 1979. (Pages 15,16).
Dr. Shankarrao Kharat, ‘Dalit Wangmay: Prerana Ani Pravrutti’ (Page 18).
Camil Parkhe
Published by:
Indian Society for Promotion of Christian Knowledge
New Delhi
Dalit status did not end with conversion to Christianity
Casteism is unique to Indian culture. Even if a person does not believe in caste, there is no escaping it. An Indian is known by his/her caste and sub-caste. Marriages and other social interactions are based upon caste considerations.
Even the communists who proclaim themselves as atheists or agnostics could not shed caste, much to their own discomfort. Late socialist leader and former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Nanasaheb (N G) Gorey often said that he was a Brahmin by ‘accident’. But society refused to accept his plea and the caste identity prevailed.
Veteran Marathi poet Rev Narayan Waman Tilak, social reformer and nationalist Pandita Ramabai and Rev Nilkanthshastri ‘Nehemiah’ Gore were all prominent Marathi Christians who made valuable contributions in their chosen fields. Ironically, the society in Maharashtra remembers them as Chitpawans, a sub caste of Brahmins, who converted to Christianity.
Thus in the eyes of the society, caste and sub caste of an individual cannot be erased even after giving up Hinduism and embracing Christianity. The stranglehold of caste on the Indian mind is best captured in the Marathi proverb Jaat Naahi Ti Jaat (What cannot be cast off is caste).
One’s parents and place of birth cannot be changed. The same applies to one’s caste too. One cannot help it. Christians who belong to the erstwhile untouchable castes in the Hindu social structure experience this everyday.
Who are the dalits ?
There are many definitions of the term ‘dalit’, all of which apply to the dalit Christians who formerly belonged to the Hindu untouchable castes in Maharashtra. Therefore, these dalit Christians can stake their claim to reservations and other concessions granted under the Indian Constitution to all members of the erstwhile untouchable communities in the country. .
Dr. Shankarrao Kharat, former Vice Chancellor of Marathwada University, while discussing the concept of dalits had said: “The term dalit includes castes which as per the Hindu religion and culture were considered as ‘untouchables’. The term also includes erstwhile ex-criminal tribes and the tribals (adivasis) who live in jungles and ravines like wild animals, away from human civilsation.1
“Since these people were kept far away from the Hindu culture permanently, they remained culturally backward. From the Hindu cultural point of view, the social and economic levels of all these castes and tribes are almost similar. Their woes more or less are the same. High caste culture has intertwined them in a single entity. All of them share a similar predicament. They have been kept away from villages and communities for generations. The slavery of these castes and tribes is social, economic and also cultural, therefore the term dalit includes all these neglected classes of castes and tribes.2
Pragat Padavidhar Sanghatana (Progressive Graduates Association), a Pune-based organisation, had launched an intensive movement in the 1970s to demand reservations and other facilities for dalit Christians in Maharashtra. The Government of Maharashtra included the dalit Christians in the State in Other Backward Caste (OBC) category in 1978. The entire credit of this goes to the movement launched by the young dalit Christians inspired by Fr Matthew Lederle, Fr Leo Desai and Fr Christopher Shelke.
The Progressive Graduates Association had published a book ‘Upekshit Khristi Samaj’ (Neglected Christian Community) to press the demand for reservations to dalit Christians. Even after embracing Christianity, these members of former Hindu untouchable communities could not get rid of the stigma attached to their existence, described in the book as follows:3
‘’There is a proverb in Marathi ‘ Gao tethe Maharwada’ (meaning ‘wherever there is a village, there is a colony of Mahars’). The colonies of the Mahars and Mangs (two predominant castes of untouchables) continue to be referred to as Maharwada and Mangwada even after these persons have become Christians. Conversion to Christianity has not changed the way their colonies are referred to, just as mere conversion has not brought any changes in their social or financial status. Their standard of living, language, foot habits and culture remain the same as other family members and relatives who have either continued to be Hindu Mahars or Mangs or have embraced Buddhism. All of them are erstwhile untouchables. Notwithstanding the conversions, in rural areas the upper caste people even today refer to the dalit Christians by their erstwhile caste names and call them as Mahars or Mangs.
Many Christian Mahars and Mangs were and still are dependent on uppercaste families of their villages. They are compelled to perform low-level tasks in their villages. Till the last decade, the dalit Christians would carry out degrading tasks like disposing off dead cattle. The untouchables, who also included Christians, went door to door and ate whatever food was thrown at them. While walking on village roads, they had to carry their footwear in hands, which had to be locked behind their backs, while the mandatory earthen pots hung around their necks to serve as spittoons. Their touch and shadow was considered inauspicious and they were prohibited from drawing water from public wells. They had to walk all the way to the lower end of the river to fill water. The dalit Christians’ dwelt with other untouchables, and took isolated roads, away from the main approaches used by upper castes, for moving around the village. Due to their very low social status, all the avenues of economic progress and prosperity remain closed to the dalit Christians. There is absolutely no distinction at all between other erstwhile untouchables and dalit Christians. The only difference is while the other dalits like dalit Hindus, neo-Buddhists and dalit Sikhs have been granted reservations and various other concessions by the Government of India, the dalit Christians have been denied the same till date. The government and the society have many misconceptions about the dalit Christian community, which is the primary reason for this community having remained neglected for several years. ‘’
‘‘Conversion has not changed the conditions of the dalits’’
Dr. Kharat
Dr. Shankarrao Kharat has discussed in his Marathi book ‘ Dalit Wangmay Prerana wa Pravrutti’ that there is no change in the conditions of the dalits even after their conversion to Buddhism. Dr. Kharat says, “During Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar’s movement of conversion, millions of untouchables gave up Hinduism and embraced Buddhism. These Buddhists are not Hindus by religion anymore. They are neo-Buddhists. Although they are now neo-Buddhists, they have been exploited for centuries by rich classes and high caste people. Therefore they have remained economically backward. They live in poor conditions. Secondly, the high caste people continue to look down upon them socially. Therefore, the neo-Buddhists are compelled to continue their fight for freedom from high caste attitudes. 4
The state of people converted into Buddhism, as described by Dr. Kharat, holds true for all those who have been converted from untouchable communities into Christianity or Sikhism. Similarly, if the untouchables embrace Islam or any other religion, the argument will still be applicable to them. Conversion to Buddhism, Sikhism or Christianity has not brought any changes in the conditions of the untouchables except the change in their religion. Hence, all these erstwhile untouchables, irrespective of their present religion, have natural right to reservations and other concessions. No logic or principle of natural justice can deny dalit Christians the right to reservations.
The condition of the erstwhile untouchables who got converted to Buddhism, along with Dr Ambedkar, did not change after conversion. Therefore in 1960, the government of Maharashtra decided to extend reservations and other concessions to the neo-Buddhists. In 1990, the V. P. Singh government took a decision to extend reservations and other concessions to neo-Buddhists across the country. Dalit Sikhs were granted reservations and other concessions at the national level as early as 1956. The decisions of the Government of Maharashtra and the Government of India to extend reservations to these non-Hindu dalits were in conformity with the principle of natural justice. However, this principle of natural justice has not been applied to the dalit Christians in Maharashtra, or at the national level.
In some southern and northern Indian States, however, various concessions have been extended to dalit and tribal Christians on par with dalits belonging to other religions.
One of the reasons for not extending the reservations and other concessions to dalit Christians is that the very concept of ‘dalit Christians’ was not acceptable to governments. Fortunately, a gradual change in the attitude of the governments is being observed during the past few years. Due to the intensive struggle by dalit Christian groups, some south Indian States have recognised the dalit Christians and extended various concessions to them. In north India, the tribal Christians do get benefits of reservations and other concessions even after their conversion to Christianity. The former Speaker of Lok Sabha P. A. Sangma and former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Ajit Jogi are tribal Christians. Unlike the dalit Christians in Maharashtra, the tribal Christians in north India and the northeastern States, are well organised, united and well aware of their rights. These tribal Christians of northeast do not tolerate any kind of injustice meted out to them in the name of their religion.
Even the Maharashtra government has acknowledged the social and economic backwardness of the dalit Christians. The people from the erstwhile untouchable Hindu communities who embraced Christianity are now included in the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) category. The government has thus accepted that the dalit Christians are erstwhile untouchables. But why have they been included in the OBC category and not the Scheduled Castes (SCs) category like the untouchable communities, which converted to either Buddhism or Sikhism?
The denial of reservations and concessions to the dalit Christians in the country is a grave injustice to this community. The issue raised by the dalit Christians is: “If erstwhile untouchables get converted to Buddhism or Sikhism, their right to reservation and other concessions remains intact. Then, why the same logic or principle is not extended to the dalit Christians”.
The Supreme Court of India posed the same question to the Central government during the hearing of a public interest litigation seeking inclusion of the dalit Christians among the Scheduled Castes to secure reservations for this community. The Central government has not responded so far and the case is pending. However, the movement for reservations and other concessions for dalit Christians, which has been going on for the last four decades, is gaining momentum.
References:
Dr. Shankarrao Kharat. ‘Dalit Wangmay: Prerana Ani Pravrutti’ Publisher- Inamdar Bandhu Prakashan, 637, Sadashiv Peth, Pune- 411 030, First edition 1978, (Page 16).
As above (Page 17,18).
‘Upekshit Khristi Samaj’ Samajhit Mala 1, Authors- On behalf of ‘Pragat Padvidhar Sanghatana’ – Antony Salve, Pratap Pandit, Sonyabapu Waghmare, and Joseph D. Adhav. Publisher – Fr Julius D’Souza (S J), Marg Prakashan, Thomas Stevens Nivas, 2008, St Vincent Marg, Pune –411 001, First edition 1979. (Pages 15,16).
Dr. Shankarrao Kharat, ‘Dalit Wangmay: Prerana Ani Pravrutti’ (Page 18).
