Petroleum minister supports India’s Dalit Christians' demand

(May 14, 2012) India’s Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas has assured his support to Christian Dalits for their rights. Speaking at the Pastors and Christian leaders Conference on Saturday, S. Jaipal Reddy said that Christian Dalits have been equally oppressed as their Hindu counterparts. Vowing to support the inalienable rights of minorities in the event of discrimination, he said that “‘minorityism’ was his understanding of democracy.” Calling for unilateral exercise of peace and ethics practised by people and imparted through religious tradition, Reddy said it was Jesus Christ’s ‘Sermon on the Mount' that influenced Mahatma Gandhi. Noting that Jesus is worshipped for his message of peace, the minister lauded the self-less services rendered to humanity by Christian missionaries. Andhra Pradesh Housing minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, who also spoke on the occasion, pledged to make all efforts to get Dalit Christians Scheduled Caste status. Earlier, Gaddapati Vijayaraju, president of All India Christian Federation, which organized the conference voiced the demand for SC status for Dalit Christians. He said residential schools and graveyards should be earmarked for them.