SC tag for dalit converts remains a distant dream
Subodh Ghildiyal,TNN
NEW DELHI: Despite the activism by Sachar panel and UPA ministers, 'Scheduled Caste' tag for dalit converts to Islam and Christianity seems to be off. The National Commission for Backward Castes has asked the states for names of SC equivalent groups among minorities, and their population figures.
The one-line query is set to put off the controversial issue for an indefinite period. While the population figures on 'dalit minorities' are not available with states, it would be a stiff challenge to pick SCs from the OBC list of which the minorities are a part.
BJP may turn the process into a complete non-starter, as the saffron outfit controls 10 states. While JD(U), BJP's coalition partner in Bihar, is in favour of the proposal, the BJP has made it clear that it cannot make any concession on the issue.
Ever since Rangnath Mishra commission recommended that SC status be made religion-neutral, injecting a fresh dose of political lobbying, the issue has received two serious setbacks. Without objecting to the Mishra panel's recommendation, National Commission for SCs has argued that reservation for dalit converts should neither disturb the 15% quota earmarked for SCs nor violate the 50% quota ceiling fixed by Supreme Court. If the panel's opinion is to be respected, the case is as good as closed.
The NCBC decision to involve states to estimate the population of converts has made it more difficult. Abdul Ali Azizi, member of NCBC, told TOI, "The states may not have exact data on dalit converts but they can find a rough estimate. At least, they can give synonyms of SCs among minorities."
He said that states should, in the long run, go for a census to identify the beneficiaries. Having raised aspirations among minority groups, the demand has led to pressure within the Congress and UPA to include dalit converts in the SC list. But a few sections in the ruling party see it as politically fraught as the saffron family has come out strongly against the proposal, sayin CHENNAI: Football leagues. Cafes. Rock concerts. Camps. Leadership teams instead of priests. If you thought church in Chennai was restricted to a Sunday morning sermon, you couldn’t be further from the truth. With newer, younger, “forward thinking” churches mushrooming in Chennai, Christianity in the city seems to be getting a whole new perspective.
For a start, how about some ‘Good News and Great Coffee.’ It’s what’s on the menu at JC’s — the inspirational cafe in Nungambakkam, JC being Jesus Christ for short. The cafe, says its owner Philip Vaseegaran, is based wholly on the Bible and is meant for the entire family, “unlike the other loud and noisy cafes in town. I want people who walk into my cafe to leave with a message, an inspiration,” he says.
Which is why along with its mocha and sandwiches, JC’s, which opens every morning at seven, has gospel music streaming through the cafe all day, Bibles as well as religious books and movies on sale, and plays televised sermons at regular intervals in the day (starting at 8 am with Joey Austin and moving on to the more famous Billy Graham).
“But that does not mean the Cafe is open to only Christians. People of all faiths and ages come here. I believe the Bible is a book for everyone,” says Philip, who adds that the one-month-old cafe is gaining popularity owing to its theme.
Then there’s Ashraya, a six-year-old church that like JC’s, is open to people of all faiths. Although the entire congregation meets on Sunday mornings, Ashraya organises a weekly programme called ‘Explore’, which is open to all cross-sections of society and aims to communicate the teachings of Jesus Christ in a manner that can be understood by all.g it would remove the only deterrent against conversions.
The NCBC decision to ask states for population figures seems to result from a calculated decision in the ruling echelons to put the issue on the backburner despite the pressure from coalition partners to accept the Mishra panel's report.
The social justice ministry, instead of moving on SC commission's opinion in December 2007, sent a set of tough queries to NCBC in February. It asked the OBC panel to name the dalit communities which converted to Islam and Christianity, criteria for their identification, and their population.
Times of India, June 14, 2008 |
