Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Discriminatory

This refers to the report that the National Commission for the Scheduled Castes has rejected the demand for reservation for Dalit Muslims and Christians on the ground that untouchability — the main criterion for reservation — is peculiar to the Hindu religion (Feb. 21).

I have been a Dalit activist for years. Throughout India, 20 million Dalit Christians are treated by the majority of the Hindu and Christian societies as untouchables. In most of rural India, untouchability is practised even in the matter of funerals. There are separate burial grounds and undertakers for Dalits.

The churches are virtually helpless in bringing about a change because of the caste system, which still exists in Christianity. In the categorisation of Dalits, only the social and educational status should be considered. Religion should not matter. The Government should amend Para 3 of the Presidential Order of 1950 and do away with the religious ban on extending SC status to Dalit Christians.

A. Anthurani,
Bangalore

Although Dalit Muslims and Christians do not face the social stigma of untouchability like Hindus, their living standard is worse than that of the backward among OBCs. They should be considered part of the backward sections as their condition is similar to that of Hindu Dalits.

Naushad Ahmad,
Meerut

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