Report of the National Seminar: Organized by National Coordination Committee for Dalit Christians (NCCDC)

A joint programme of National Council of Churches in India and Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India

When the Preamble of the Constitution of India records ‘We the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into socialist, secular, democratic republic and to secure to all its citizens justice, liberty, equality and fraternity’, the very idea of  ‘We the people’ has been put to risk for Christians and Muslims of Scheduled Caste Origin who continue to face social and religious discrimination and are looked down as ‘They the people’. In the light of the ongoing injustice done to Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims in India, it has been called on the Churches in India to build public opinion and to sensitise the local communities about the discrimination done to these communities. A People’s Tribunal on Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims issue needs to be organized and intense political activism needs to be carried out in impressing the Central Government to ensure justice to Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims. These directions have been put forward at a National Seminar on ‘Building Inclusive India: Overcoming Social and Religious Discriminations’ organized by National Coordination Committee for Dalit Christians (NCCDC), during 6th and 7th March 2010 at Constitutional Club and CNI Bhawan at New Delhi.

Prof. Dr. Tahir Mahmood who served as a member of the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities (NCRLM) and former Chairman, National Commission for Minorities, in his Inaugural Address, explained the journey of the Commission in upholding the values of secularism and democracy despite some dissents within the Commission. He further said that the 1950 Presidential Order in the Constitution of India is a blatant blot on the spirit of democracy and secularism and called on those opposing the Ranganath Misra Commission Report as unfaithful to the Constitution of India. Dr. Mohinder Singh, who also served as member of the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities (NCRLM) and currently the Director of National Institute of Punjab Studies, called on the civil society to overcome the stereotypes on religious minorities and said the need of the hour is to build public opinion on the Ranganath Misra Commission Report.

Earlier in the day, the National Seminar began by Opening Prayer and a Solidarity Message from Rt. Rev. Dr. B.S. Devamani, the Chairperson of the NCCI Commission on Dalits where he called for more united efforts among Dalits of all religions. Bishop Charles Soreng, Chairperson of CBCI Commission on SC/ST/BC, welcomed the participants to the National Seminar and expressed the moral duty of the Church in fighting for this our cause. Archbishop Vincent Concessao, the Archbishop of Delhi, in his Presidential Address, called to intensify the advocacy and lobbying until we achieve our goal with perseverance and honesty.

Rev. Asir Ebenezer, the Officiating General Secretary of National Council of Churches in India, explained the interventions made by the Churches in the struggles of Dalit Christians and Muslims and emphasized the need for equality and equity within and outside the Churches and gave the clarion call ‘Let us together make Caste discrimination history’. Mr. Rafiq from Jamaat-E-Islami Hind, stressed that an inclusive India is possible when identities of the minorities are affirmed and upheld on equal footing with other majority communities.

In the afternoon, Prof. T. Oommen, a renowned Sociologist, spoke on the theme ‘Social Exclusion: Discrimination in identifying Socio-economic Backwardness’ where he thoroughly analysed the Indian society, explaining social exclusion at different spheres of life. He also gave a thorough analysis of the Ranganath Misra Commission Report and urged that the demand of the Churches at this point should grant ‘Scheduled Caste’ status to Christians and Muslims of Dalit Origin as it has been given to Hindus of Dalit origin from 1950. Archbishop Stanislaus Fernandes, the Secretary General of CBCI, moderated this session. Prof. Satish Deshpande from the University of Delhi and the author of ’Dalits in the Muslim and Christian Communities: Study Report on current social, scientific knowledge’, in his presentation called on the non-State addressees along with the State accountable for the growing injustice done to Christians and Muslims of Dalit origin. In his research he said that a gap between Dalit Christians and non-Dalit Christians has been ever widening and therefore called for intra-community inequalities to be addressed on a priority. Rt. Rev. Dr. B.S. Devamani moderated this session.

On the 7th March, 2010 there was a Panel Discussion on Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims issue during which Rev. Dr. Enos Das Pradhan, General Secretary of the Church of North India, moderated the Panel Discussion. Rev. A.X.J. Bosco, Mr. Manoj V. George, Mr. Kahaliq, Mr. Franklin Caesar Thomas and Mr. Anis Mohammed were on the Panel and spoke from different perspectives on the issue. In the final session, Rev. Asir Ebenezer moderated the group activity and each of the groups presented an Action Plan as to how to go about in this journey for justice. The participants pledged to intensify the lobbying work at the regional level and had expressed their support and solidarity with Dalit Muslims for their demand for justice. Fr. Cosmon Arokiaraj, Coordinator for NCCDC and Executive Secretary CBCI, Commission on SC/ST/BC proposed the vote of thanks. Mrs. Rachel Pradhan, Executive Secretary of AICCW, Ms. Anjna Masih, Executive Secretary of NCCI-Commission on Policy, Mr. S. Raju, Administrator of NCCI- Delhi office, Ms. Shaila John Wesley, Executive Secretary, CWW, Methodist Church in India, Mr. Franklin Ceasar from NCDC and several others participated in the seminar.

Building Inclusive India is a constitutional necessity, a contextual necessity, and also the Church’s necessity, and such an India is possible only when social and religious discrimination on Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims are overcome. When such discriminations are overcome, ‘We the People…’ will be a reality doing away with ‘They the People’ attitudes and divisions.  Let justice be triumphant.

Rev. Raj Bharath Patta
Executive Secretary
Commission on Dalits