Dalits Christians threaten to abandon Congress

(July 22, 2010) Christian and Muslim leaders say their people plan to vote against the ruling Congress party in the coming elections if their demand for quota benefits to dalits goes unmet. “We are seriously thinking of withdrawing the support” to the Congress government in upcoming elections, said Father Roby Kolenchery, who led a team from Punjab to a demonstration in New Delhi. Christians and Muslims traditionally supported Congress party, which currently heads the federal ruling alliance. It was also in power for more than five decades. But it is a “shame that this government” cannot implement a 60-year- old demand of Christians, the priest explained. He said successive governments have failed to implement their own promises of granting reservation benefits to dalits. The Indian constitution allows for special benefits for dalits, members of lower castes once branded “untouchables.” But a 1950 government order limited it only to dalits of Hindus. It was later amended to include dalits among Sikhs and Buddhists but excluded Christians and Muslims on the grounds that their religions reject the caste system. Some 500 Christians and Muslims from all over India demonstrated in New Delhi July 21 in the latest round of demonstration to press the government to make amendments. “Ours is a non-violent protest,” said Father Cosmon Arokiaraj of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India. However, he said dalit people will take “drastic steps” if government continues to ignore them.