"This is a significant and giant step toward justice for the Dalits," said Gospel for Asia (GFA) founder–president Dr. K.P. Yohannan in a statement. "If the court follows the Commission's recommendations, it will free many Dalits to choose to follow Christ. They will no longer have to fear losing their rights."
"Men and women born into a Dalit family live in virtual slavery to those in the upper castes. Dalits are expected to perform the most demeaning manual labor jobs, such as cleaning sewers, and are routinely abused and even murdered without consequence," Yohannan.
"Now we wait patiently with prayer that the Supreme Court will affirm this, and this will become a law. It means millions of Dalits will have the freedom to embrace Christian faith for hope for this life and the life to come," he added.
"There must be endless millions (now I don't use those words casually) of people that have embraced the Christian faith, which gave them hope and life and forgiveness of sin, but they continued to be secretive. But now you can just imagine from everywhere people will be coming out and saying, 'Yes, we believe in Jesus,'" he continued.
With the Commission report out, there will also be many Dalits searching for liberation and Yohannan is concerned. "Right now, honestly, I do not think we have enough Christian workers, nor the unity of the churches there to embrace these people with open arms saying, 'Yes, we love you. Come and be with us. We are equal in the sight of God,'" he said.
Yohannan is also concerned that this does not turn into a Christian liberation political movement. "Ministries need to be careful that Christ is preached primarily and explained and invite people to follow the Lord. This is where I am crying out to the body of Christ and leaders that we don't get confused with the liberation movement and those wanting to follow the Lord," he said.
Terming the findings of the Commission report as "the first victory of Dalit Christians," Dr. John Dayal, secretary general of the All India Christian Council (AICC) said the government must take early action to reverse historic injustice and give Christians and Muslims of Dalit origin the benefits under laws that "are rightfully theirs."
"We are witnessing the making of history. We hope the rights denied to us for so long will be granted now," the Rev. Madhu Chandra, spokesperson, AICC, said.
AICC's international partner and Christian rights group, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has also welcomed the report whose recommendations could signal an end to religious discrimination in the system of 'reservation' for Dalits in India.
"Legislative obstructions to the religious freedom of India's Dalits need to be tackled, and the Mishra Commission report is a significant step in the right direction," CSW's National Director, Stuart Windsor, said.
"CSW welcomes the moves of the Indian government to address caste–based discrimination, and urges that the recommendations of this commission be adopted and implemented as soon as possible," he said.
Society
Minority Commission rules in favour of Dalit Christians, recommends affirmative action
By: Bei Chatlai Beita
Monday, 28 May 2007, 15:22 (IST)
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