TN adopts resolution to extend SC rights, protection to Dalit Christians

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Wednesday adopted a resolution urging the Government of India to make necessary amendments to the Constitution to extend statutory protection, rights and concessions, including reservation to Scheduled Caste people who converted to Christianity.

The government resolution moved by Chief Minister MK Stalin in the House urged the GOI “to make necessary amendments to the Constitution to extend statutory protection, rights and concessions including reservation as provided to the people belonging to Scheduled Castes under the Indian Constitution, also to the SCs who have converted to Christianity, so as to enable them to avail the benefits of social justice in all aspects.”

Dalits suffer untouchability post-conversion:

Moving the resolution, Chief Minister Stalin said, “Adi Dravidar people continue to suffer caste atrocities like untouchability even after converting to other religions. Hence, we must give it a kind consideration.”

Stating that the Constitution does not allow people other than Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists to be treated as Scheduled Castes, the Chief Minister said, “When they are historically Adi Dravidars, it would be fair to offer them the rights of Scheduled Castes. It would only fetch them education and job opportunities, contributing to their social development.”

Remarking that it was unfair to deny them (Dalit Christians) the rights enjoyed by the other members of the same (Adi Dravidar) community on the ground of religious conversion, the CM said, “People have the right to practice the religion of their liking. But caste is not liable to change. Instead of it signifying the differences among people, caste prescribes one as high and another low (in the social hierarchy). Altogether, it is a social malady.”

Reasoning that the principle of social justice improvises the same caste, which oppressed people through inequality, to facilitate social progress by way of reservation, the CM said that it would be fair to extend the constitutionally guaranteed social justice rights to the Adi Dravidars who converted to Christianity. Recalling the letters former DMK president M Karunanidhi wrote to the then Prime Minister in this regard in 1996, 2006, 2010 and 2011, the CM referred to the inclusion of Sikhs in 1956 and Buddhists in 1990 by way of Constitutional Amendment and said that the Adi Dravidars who converted to Christianity are also expecting a similar amendment.

Referring to the statement of the vice chairman of National SC Commission last year that SC certificates of Adi Dravidars post-conversion was ‘invalid’ and ‘fake’, the CM said that the justice K G Balakrishnan led commission constituted by the union government must submit its final report on the issue after touring countrywide and consulting all state governments.

The resolution was ‘unanimously’ adopted by the House through voice vote. The four BJP legislators opposed the resolution and walked out of the Assembly.