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.