Dalit Christian organizations are demanding amendment of Para 3

Dalits who follow Christianity should be given Scheduled Caste status, the way Dalits who follow Sikhism and Buddhism were given after the amendment of Article 341 in 1956 and 1990 respectively, a group of Dalit Christian organizations demanded.

Led by All India United Christian Movement for Equal Rights (AIUCMER), Telangana United Christians and Pastors Association (TUCPA), and archbishops, the delegation met with former Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan, chairman of the 2022-KG Balakrishnan Commission, in Delhi. on Saturday.

The Commission, which is due to submit its report later this year, is examining whether Scheduled Caste status should be given to Dalits who convert to other religions, other than Buddhism and Sikhism.

According to the submissions, the mandate of the Constitution of Section 1 and section 2 in the amendment of Section 341 (1) was fulfilled, but Section 3, which says, “Notwithstanding the above sections” and determining the Sections of Scheduled Castes must be of a certain religion. the community. They say it violates the principles of equality, discrimination based on religion, equal opportunities, among other principles.

It supported its cause and said that various Commissioners – Mandal, Kaka Kalelkar, Justice Ranganath Misra – observed that the disability of SCs continues without converting to other religions, including Christianity.

According to the petitioners, the three-member Commission, with members Ravindra Kumar Jain and Sushma Yadav, will soon hold public forums in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and record views.

President (AIUCER) Jose Daniel, Goneh Solomon Raj of TUCPA, Bishop Veeraji Panta Israel, M. Prabhu Kumar of Dalit Christian Movement, Babu Rao, Antony Raju Thumma, Norbat, Libania, and others were present.