The Casteist ‘Ummah’:Muslim caste divide leaves Bihar village tense
Posted by arshadamanullah on December 8, 2007
Patna, December 6: Tension gripped Allepur hamlet of Rampur Bairia village in East Champaran district of north Bihar on Thursday when around half-a-dozen huts of backward Muslims were set ablaze, allegedly by landed sections of the same community. A named FIR against eight persons has been lodged and additional police reinforcement deployed in the village to maintain peace.
District Magistrate Jeevan Kumar Gupta said efforts were on to nab the culprits. “The situation is under control. Policemen have been deployed in the village.”
According to reports, Muslims of the village are divided on caste lines and have been fighting for a long time over a separate mosque and burial ground. Dispute over the land on which the backward caste Muslims had set up their mosque had led to the incident.
The landed sections were claiming that the land belonged to them. The district administration, however, had ruled in favour of the backward Muslims.
“Well past midnight, a group of around 20 people raided our hamlet, poured kerosene oil on half-a-dozen huts and set them on fire. Though people managed to save their lives, the huts and other belongings were gutted,” said Akbar Ali of the village over phone.
Expressing outrage, JD(U) MP and national president of All-India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaj, Ali Anwar, said the attack was perpetrated by upper caste Muslims. “The administration should take strong action against the culprits. Affluent upper caste Muslims of the village have been treating the poor lower caste members like untouchables,” he said.
Anwar has been championing the cause of backward caste among the minority community for a long time. Anwar claimed that last year, members of the backward caste were beaten up when a bridegroom rode a car along the road dominated by upper caste Muslims.
(Source: Indian Express 7/12/07http://www.indianexpress.com/story/247509.html)
Meharban James said
POOR CHRISTIAN LIBERATION MOVEMENT
III A/ 145, Rachana, Vashali – 201 010 (NCR)
E-mail: Francispclm@yahoo.com Website: http://www.Dalitchristian.org
Ph. 95120, 2772449 Fax: 2772449
July 28, 2007
The Hon’ble Prime Minister,
152, South Block,
New Delhi – 110 011.
Your Excellency,
On the 21st of May 2007 National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities Chairman, Justice Ranganath Mishra gave his report to the Government of India. The Commission suggested its willingness to include Dalit Christians into the category of Scheduled caste list. Then in July 19, 2007 the Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanian told the Supreme Court that he has forwarded this report to the National Scheduled Caste Commission for its consideration and recommendation, since within a period of two months the Supreme Court will begin a hearing on this matter.
It is in this context that ‘Poor Christian Liberation Movement’ wishes to present our representations and perspective. We hope that Government will seriously consider what we have to represent in this critical matter. The Movement wishes to state plainly that Dalit Christians are not interested in this matter of getting included into the SC lists. The reasons for this non-inclusion of Dalit Christian in SC list are the following:-
-Dalit Christian wishes to plainly state that at the time of their conversion to Christianity they had clearly envisaged the giving up their ‘Dalit stigma’. Most of them realized that Christianity as per doctrine and tenets would hold all person as equals. It is true that many converted Christian joined merely for personal benefit yet the large majority ‘boldly joined the ranks of Christians’ in protest of the century’s long discrimination and indignity the face at the hand of their ‘high caste’ brethren. From the new Christian Church leader and Shepherds they expected full developmental programmes for their equal status as there is no ‘jatvad’ or castism in Christianity.
-Dalit Christian are aware of the fact that 60 years ago at the time of Independence they generously gave up all Government benefit like scheduled caste reservation privilege. Give up benefits of the Bhodan adolan, etc. All this they sacrificed ‘for sixty long years because they were sure that their new Shepherds and Church leaders would fully see to their complete social and economic development. The Dalit Christian wish to express their dismay in the following Quote:” You converted the Dalits by pouring water on heads and now you wash your hand of the responsibilities and recommend the mercy of State bailing them out with the Hindu Dalits. You have taken over the condemned leprosy on the Christian society and unashamedly owned it.”
-The above two considerations show the utter failure and give incontrovertible evidence of the total non- performance of Church leaders in implementation of its own doctrine of equality and dignity to all persons. Hence the Poor Christian Liberation Movement wishes to tell the Government that ‘these non- performing Church leader should be booked and should pay compensation to Dalit Christian for their gross negligence of their duty enjoined by law and Christian Doctrine “ Feed my sheep”. These Church shepherds have a ‘double audit and double responsibility’. One, before the State as they are Church leaders and they must perform like other Political leaders: and another, before their Supreme Master, Our Lord Jesus Christ. This we have termed as ‘Astha ka Balatkar’ meaning rape of faith.
- Dalit Christians wish to inform the Government that they make suitable legislations so that Dalit Christians get admistrative participation in the Church related governance, Institutions, Hospitals, Schools, and Colleges etc. Poor Christian Liberation Movement gave two important Memorandums to the Hon’ble Prime Minister on August 27, 2004 and March 9, 2005 and many leading Newspapers and News agencies gave coverage to the Protest March, Dharna and other PCLM activities.
Hon’ble Prime Minister,
We wish to inform you of the danger of implementation of this legislation. We wish to state point blank that the interested parties are not the Dalit Christians. It is the foreign Church Missionaries and Evangelists who have laid traps. Dalit Christians wish to state categorically that we are not interested in this legislation of inclusion into the Scheduled caste. What we ask of the government is ‘A new look into the matter and a new policy’ so that Dalit Christians live in dignity and equality in this great Nation of India.
With my prayers and blessings, I remain
Yours sincerely,
R.L. Francis,
National President- PCLM
Emali: francispclm@yahoo.com
Copy:-
Dr. Buta Singh
Chairman
National Scheduled Caste Commission
New Delhi
R L Francis said
PAIN BEING A DALIT PRIEST IN DELHI CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE
The leaders of Indian Church are being accused of not given equal place and opportunity to the Dalit Catholics in Catholic Church till today. Dalit and Tribal fought against religion, unjust society and unequal economic distribution against them and they accepted the Christianity but later on they realized that in Christianity also there was/is no equal justice and place for them in the Church. Dalit and Tribal Catholics are sad for not having dignified life in the Catholic Church. Upper cast Catholics are having full hold and control on the Catholic Church. Most of the priests, bishops and cardinals are becoming from upper cast and they select the leaders for different associations from their own cast people.
There are very few Dalit priests and nuns in the Catholic church. Converted Dalit Catholics have great hope from Dalit Priests and nuns in all the diocese in Indian Catholic Church. When Dalit Priests and nuns are being misbehaved, harassed and persecuted by bishops and superiors, then converted Dalit Catholic become sad and loose the hope of having equality and justice in the Catholic Church. Infact in order to have full hold on the Catholic Church, the upper caste bishops and priests do not give equal place and opportunity to the Dalit Preists, Nuns and Dalit Catholics in the Catholic Church.
Fr. William Premdass Chaudhary is the only local Dalit Priest for Delhi Catholic Archdiocese, the Capital of India. On 30-07-2006, his family members and villagers had a dharna at bishop’s house against the discrimination done to Fr. William Premdass Chaudhary by the Archbishop Vincent M. Concessao. His brother, Mr. Laxmi Chand gave a memorandum to the Archbishop and appealed to him for not to mistreat his brother on the basis of region and caste. Mr. Laxmi Chand reminded the Catholic Archbishop about the pain and trouble they had gone through in order to make his brother, Fr. Willam, a catholic priest for Delhi Diocese. Most of the family members and villagers are Hindu, so they had opposition within the family and in the village for not allowing him to be a priest. Mr. Laxmi Chand lives in Gurgaon, Haryana. He said that his brother after having completed his priestly study for 11 years, became a catholic priest for Delhi Catholic Archdiocese. We were happy that our brother became a priest and expected that he will work for deprived people in the society.
Fr. William Premdass Chaudhary’s eldest brother, Mr. Laxmi Chand had reminded the Archbishop Vincent M. Concessao through the memorandum that he and his family sacrificed him to work selflessly in the Catholic church and spread the message of love of Christ. We came to know that our brother is being ill-treated on the basis of caste and region. Infact the Archbishop is against the local dalit catholic. He is encouraging regionalism and casteism in Delhi Catholic Archdiocese. Fr. William Premdass Chaudhary was appointed at Faridabad and Rewari in Haryana, Defence Colony, Delhi Cantt, Mayur Vihar Ph-III and Pitampura churches in Delhi but he was not allowed to work freely by the Archbishop who was/is interfering in his work. Mr. Laxmi Chand alleged through the memorandum that Archbishop was/is discriminating against the local Dalit Catholics and local Dalit Priests on the basis of language, region, race, colour and caste. Catholic Archdiocese never consulted local Dalit and priest while taking important decision for the diocese. Archbishop has different rules and regulations for North Indian and South Indian priests, which is against the policy of church and Christianity.
Fr. William Premdass Chaudhary’s family says that they respect Rev. Bishop Vincent M. Concessao very much and this is not to insult or hurt him. This matter is being voiced because we have sacrificed our brother in the name of Jesus Christ but here in Catholic Church he himself is forced to live insulted life. We must not tolerate that after serving the Catholic Church for more than 15 years he is facing the problem of unjust and partiality by the top most Authorities. These authorities must change their behaviour towards Fr. William . Archbishop is putting condition for long retreat before assigning the parish to Fr. William but there are no condition for other priests who have not gone for long retreat and are holding/ assigned important position in the Church.
There are fourteen thousand (14000) priests in the Catholic Church but only six hundred (600) are Dalit Priests. There are one hundred sixty
(160) Bishops but only six (6) are Dalit Bishops in the Catholic Church. It is surprising that there are 70% are converted Dalit Catholics out of the total population of the Catholic Church. Only few upper caste bishops and priests are ruling and controlling the catholic church. They are using the property of the Catholic Church for their own sake. Church leaders are increasing their kingdom while converting Hindu Dalit into Christianity. They are creating division and tension in the Indian societies through their activities in India.
Infact Indian Churches are being controlled and ruled by the South Indian, especially the generation of Portuguese. It is true that Portuguese missionaries and people could not influence and controlled Indian politics but they had full control on the Catholic Church. Vasco D’Gama was send to India by the pope in order to control Indian catholic church. Before Portuguese missionaries came to India, they were already old Catholics and Syrian Catholics were living in India, especially in South Indian. Portuguese missionaries made them their own slaves by force while British was ruling and controlling India. The upper caste Catholics of Kerela and Tamilnadu obeyed and worked along with Portuguese missionaries. Even though British left India yet pope had influenced and control over the Catholic Church. India became independent country which was declared as democratic. The religious freedom was given to the Indian people who can choose and practice any religion anywhere in India. The Portuguese were very happy and proud of religious freedom in India. Foreign missionaries left enough wealth, movable and immovable property in the Catholic Church. After having left the foreign missionaries from India, the upper caste bishops, priests and leaders of the church took full control over the Catholic Church and entire wealth. In order to increase population in the church, the upper caste bishops, priests and missionaries started to convert Hindu Dalit and poor people into Christianity. They were getting foreign aid in order to increase population in the church. As the population increased in the church the vote bank also increased. So the upper caste bishops, priests and leaders of the Church got the protection of Indian Politician. Since they received the help and protection from politicians, the Indian missionaries took advantage in converting Hindu Dalit into Christianity.
Recently many people died in Kandhmal District in Orrissa. Many churches, institution and houses were burnt and there was a heavy loss of wealth and life. There are Schedule Caste people, belonging to Pana Caste, who are converted into Christianity. Church leaders are fighting and demanding the state government that the people of Pana Caste must be given the status of Schedule Tribe so that they may not loose quota after accepting the Christianity, otherwise they are loosing the quota after the conversion. This is the real reason of hurdle for conversion for the leaders of the church. Since many decades, church leaders were/are trying to remove this root cause which is the hurdle for converting Hindu Dalit of Pana Caste into Christianity and forcing the government to give them the status of Schedule Tribe. This struggle has been going on since many years. Because of this struggle the tension built up in the region. Actually the church leaders are not interested in the development of converted Catholics rather they want to increase number in the Church. The Church leaders are having an eye on 16 crores Hindus. The Church leaders are playing double standard game. If the people of pana caste are given Schedule Tribe status, they will retain quota / reservation after accepting the Christianity and the Church need not to give anything to them, and on the other hand the conversion may go on smoothly. The church leaders are running the shop of conversion.
Indian Catholic Church have to follow rules and regulations(Canon Law) of Catholic Church. The Vatican appoints the Indian Bishops. Usually Catholic Bishops gives less importance to local community and that’s why interference in their work by the local priest can only bring suffering to these local priests. In the year 2000, Fr. Anthony Fernandez SJ, was harassed, persecuted and asked to leave the society because he raised the voice against conversion and refused to change the religion of local community, he also challenged the various rights of Bishops. Fr. Henry of Jhansi Diocese was insulted and persecuted because he took the side of local poor Christians. In our country today also lots of priests are facing punishment and standing in neglected places for being Dalit and raising voice for their own people. “Poor Christian Liberation Movement” (PCLM) is one of the leading organisation who is working for Dalit Christian has asked the Church Authorities to give equality and respect to their Priests and Nuns who have come from the Dalit background. According to the words of Jesus Christ we should be like salt. If the salt become tasteless there’ll be no use of it instead it will be thrown outside like dust and will be trampled within our legs.
R.L. FRANCIS
President, Poor Christian Liberation Movement -PCLM
Fr. John Paul said
Previous interviews
Christianity is facing crisis like any other religion: RL Francis
Message of Christ must spread without offending any religion, says RL Francis, president, Poor Christian Liberation Movement (PCLM)
The problems of the Dalits and Tribals have remained the same even after several decades of conversion into the Christianity. A large number of poor Christians have come together to form a common platform – Poor Christian Liberation Movement (PCLM) – and are demanding Church to meet the aspirations of the dalits and tribals. In a long interaction with Sai Prasan, a senior journalist, RL Francis, president, PCLM addressed the issues ranging from Kandhamal violence, fraudulent conversions to the inner contradictions within the Church and among the Christian community at large. Excerpts:
Orissadiary.com: PCLM has issued a press release on MP Minority Commission’s observations regarding Church property. But, why you were silent on the Supreme Court recently criticizing Odisha government for its failure to protect the life of people in Kandhamal violence? And, you have spared even the Hindu fundamentalists for attacking Christians in Odisha?
Francis: Do not allege the things which are not true. We condemn any kind of violence on any religion. We support all the decision of the Honourable Supreme Curt of India in this regard. In several judgments, judiciary has saved the minorities in India.
Orissadiary.com: You have termed the Christian conversions fraudulent and asked the Church to stop it. What is the basis on which you have alleged that the Conversions are fraudulent in India?
Francis: The act of conversion comes from within and is an spiritual attainment of an individual. The church itself is against conversions which are done through allurement and false promises. It has been observed that many conversions are done using questionable methods. The Poor Christian Liberation Movement (PCLM) is against such conversions. Several studies published and particularly in a book – “Changing Gods” by Rev. Fr. Rudolf Heredoro S.J. gives several example of fraudulent conversion. It is on the basis of these studies that the people allege that fraudulent conversions are taking place inIndia. Several priests themselves have said these things.
Orissadiary.com: You have asked the government/s to appoint common man in the commissions and other forums and not the priests and bishops. Why you do not have faith in the Church?
Francis: According to World Council of Churches and Vatican II, the laity must be empowered. If the religious persons (priests and nuns) are appointed in the government formed commission, then the confusion will arise in the masses. After all, the Vatican has an ambassador inIndia who is the representative of Pope. And on the other hand, bishops and archbishops are also appointed by Rome. In this condition, it is difficult for priests and nuns to ignore the religious stand and sometimes they many act contrary to the interest of local people. The roles of religious people are to do spiritual work and live the life of Christ.
I need not elaborate that Christ himself never accepted any post in Roman Empire. We further urged the government that no clergy (Bishops, priests and nuns) be appointed in the government committee, commissions etc. Instead, the government should appoint ordinary Christians as the members in such committees and commissions. It has been observed that due to such appointments, the Bishops, priests, and nuns are deviating from their original work of the Church and misusing their positions and funds.
Orissadiary.com: What are the demands of poor dalits and tribal Christians from the Church?
Francis: The demand of poor christians is to uplift the poor christians who mostly come from dalit and tribal background. It has been noted that while the church is having buildings and institutions, the poor Christians are not admitted in it. Our demand is to give admission to every Christian child in Christian schools. After all, the Christians schools are violating the rights under minority rules.
As there are large number of administrative rules in the church institutors, we demand that the laity should be given more chance to the government the local church institutions.
We strongly demand that as per the teachings of Jesus Christ inaction within the church on the basis for caste must be stopped immediately. And separate graveyard for dalits and separate prayer arrangement for them must be changed into general equal rights.
We appeal to the bishops to see that priests, nuns and authorities stop supporting upper caste Christians against Dalit Christians and instead openly oppose discrimination and close down the churches and services in places where discrimination on the basis of caste is practiced.
Orissadiary.com: Has the social and economic status of poor Christians after the conversions changed and these religious conversions brought any social change among the dalits and tribal?
Francis: Unfortunately not. Several studies by the Church and independent scholars suggest that they are large number of poor Christians’ who still lack education and they are backward economically. They do not have jobs.
The poor Christians particularly Dalits are suffering in the same manner as Hindu dalits. Infact, this is the basis for demanding reservation for the Dalit Christians in the Church for several years.
PCLM has made allegations that the foreign funds coming to Indiaare being mis-used by a section of Church. How do you think these funds can be properly used for the development of Dalit and tribal Christians?
St. Peter has two keys. One of the heaven and other one of the treasurery. The treasury key must be handed over to the laity for transparency.. Economic committees should be formed to oversee the fund’s expenditure. In every diocese the treasurer must be a lay person appointed on the rotational basis – for two years. And must be changed after that. More economic owers must be given to nuns as they are honest and sincere.
Orissadiary.com: Why are you opposed to the reservations of Dalit Christians in the government jobs?
Francis: We are looking for the long term interest of the community. After the government, the Church is the biggest employer in India. And as such what is the percentage of dalit Christians employed in Christian schools, colleges, hospitals and social service projects. We want first the Church to provide 60 % reservations to the Dalit Christians, 20 % to the Tribal Christians and 10 % for rest of the Christians in their own institutions. In principle it also not justified to push back the Dalits Christians in the same category which they discarded and adopted Christianity. We demand that Catholic Bishop Conference of India (CBCI), National Council for churches in India (NCCI) and other church organizations to drop the demand for pushing back the poor Christians in to the category of Scheduled Caste status. The teaching of Jesus Christ does not permit a any one to discriminate among his followers. All Christians are born in the image of God. If the Church in India pursues the reservation for Christians on the basis of caste then it must pay compensation to the poor Christians who got converted to the Christianity long back.
We urge the Union government to institute a law allowing the Christians minority institutions to admit 50% student who are Christians. Any Christians educational institute claiming Minority Status be punished if they refuse admission to a Christian child. Currently, there is no such provision therefore the Church educational institutions are ignoring poor Christians. Those not following the directive be declassified and put under the Income Tax Act as commercial venture.
Orissadiary.com: You have supported Madhya Pradesh Minority Commissions’ statement to form Waqf board to monitor Church property. How do you think that it will help the poor Christians?
Francis: The large scale fraudulent deals and selling of mission properties in several places in India, the Madhya Pradesh Minority Commission has suggested to the State Government to set up a Waqf like Board to protect Church properties. The church hierarchy should examine it with open mind and in sincerity. We have submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister Dr. Man Mohan Singh demanding an agency for the protection of Christian properties on the pattern of Waqf Board. There is nothing objectionable in the proposal. If there was anything wrong in the Waqf board, then Muslim brethren would have opposed it. Therefore, it is not appropriate to oppose the proposal mooted by the M P state Minority Commission for setting up a Waqf like Board for the Christians. Several cases of selling Church property illegally have come to the light in Jabalpur, Damoh, Indore, Ratlam, Raipur, Bilaspur, Nagpur,Agra, Saharanpur, Lucknow,Ludhiana, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad,Calcutta and in other places. Therefore, it is in the interest of the Christian community to have a Waqf Board like national agency for the proper upliftment and protection of the mission property.
Orissadiary.com: Your opponents among the Christian community alleged that the people like you are disgruntled elements as your line of thinking is similar to Sangh Parivar. Are you working in tandem with the Sangh Parivar?
Francis:Several priests and bishops are having dialogue with RSS. Are they also working in tandem with the Sangh Parivar?
Orissadiary.com: Has PCLM sought Vatican City’s intervention to resolve their problems?
Francis: We would welcome any move by the Vatican to solve the problems of Dalit Christians in India. Also we would like to involve World Council of Churches in this matter. And we cannot forget the evangelical groups who are also spreading the word of Lord. Above all the involvement of the leaders from India is also very important.
Orissadiary.com: What is your last word on the overall situation?
Francis: In the 21st century all religion are facing crisis. So, the case with Christainity. I sincerely urge the Church leaders to prepare the laity for the more responsibilities so that the real message of Christ becomes acceptable to all without offending any other religion. The key word is respect all religions equally.
[Please send your comments to saiprasan2@gmail.com. And, visit http://www.kandhamalconversion.blogspot.com for more information.]
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