Andhra Pradesh Assembly proposes SC status for Dalit Christians

(August 29, 2009) The Legislative Assembly of southern India’s Andhra Pradesh State has urged the Union Government to take steps to grant Scheduled Caste or SC status to Dalit Christians or SC converts to Christianity. A resolution moved in the Assembly on August 26 by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy was supported by several parties, including the ruling Congress and the main Opposition Telugu Desam Party. However, the rightwing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Lok Satta party opposed the resolution saying the move would promote missionary activities and conversions to Christianity. The opponents also said that concession to Dalit Christians would dilute the existing 15 percent reservation in government jobs and other benefits for Schedule Castes. But Chief Minister Reddy insisted saying, Dalit Christians “continue to face the same discrimination as their Hindu counterparts.” Providing SC status to Dalit Christians will also enable the community to enjoy the same political rights and socio-economic and educational benefits as other SCs, he pointed out.