Now that Prof, Borges has presented some of the facts on this issue, let me tell you why I know that he is on solid ground in his assertions about Christian members of the Indian Constituent Assembly. While doing this let me also provide evidence on the issue of impulsive rhetoric and lack of balance when it comes to sectarian matters that I raised in my previous post in regards to other respondents in this thread.
Some longstanding members of Goanet might remember that the main issue here was debated many years ago in this forum. At that time it was pointed out that Fr. Jerome D'Souza, one of the Christian members had objected to including Dalit Christians in the list of Scheduled Castes on the theoretical grounds that there is no caste in Christianity. The evidence that was cited at that time to support this fact was an article written in 2005 by an American Jesuit scholar and professor of Boston College named Fr. John Francis Izzo. Here is the link to that article, entitled "Dalit Means Broken" in a prominent Catholic magazine: http://americamagazine.org/issue/518/article/dalit-meansbroken Here are some pertinent quotes in that article: QUOTE When India’s founding Constituent Assembly debated making concessions for Outcaste-Christians, Jerome D’Souza, S.J., representing the Christians, rejected them, claiming there is no caste in Christianity. UNQUOTE .......Fr. John Francis Izzo QUOTE “Who will look after the Christian Dalits?” Dr. B. R. Ambedkar asked Father D’Souza. “The Christian churches will,” Father D’Souza replied. UNQUOTE .......Fr. John Francis Izzo The questions as to who was consulted, and on whose representation and on what precedent the Presidential order of 1950 and the list of Scheduled Castes were issued have also been addressed in the popular media by genuinely well-informed activists and journalists concerned about this issue, such as the human rights activist M. Madhu Chandra and Sunil Dasgupta of India Today. The common answer to two of these questions appears to be exactly what Prof. Borges claimed - the Christian representatives on the Constituent Assembly. Here is an article on this by Madhu Chandra: http://www.countercurrents.org/chandra160707.htm Here is the relevant quote in this regard: QUOTE In 1950 upon the representation of Christian leaders for not including Scheduled Caste Christians in Constitution (Scheduled Caste) Order 1950, the assurance from then the Prime Minister and President via letter dated 7 November 1950 and 17 December 1950 respectively were given. UNQUOTE ..........M. Madhu Chandra While there may be some ambiguity in the meaning of the above statement, please note how thoroughly the following additional quote contradicts the claims made in the post appended below: QUOTE For first time, Indian's lowest caste known as "Untouchables" or "Depressed Classes" have been identified as Scheduled Castes introduced by Colonial Government of India in 1935. In the following year Colonial Government of India (Scheduled Castes) Order 1935 specified, "No Indian Christian shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste." Since then any Scheduled Caste origins converted to Christianity lost its Scheduled Caste status, although they remain economically, educationally, socially and politically backward as much as before their conversion. UNQUOTE ..........M. Madhu Chandra Here is an article in India Today that clarifies further any ambiguity that there might be about the role played by the Christian members of the Constituent assembly in excluding Dalit Christians from the Schedule Castes list: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/disgruntled-dalit-christians-seek-inclusion-of-community-to-scheduled-caste-list/1/288775.html Here is the money quote: QUOTE The problem should not have arisen at all. When Jawaharlal Nehru was compiling the Scheduled Caste list, he called three prominent Christians- Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, Father Jerome D'Souza and H.C. Mukherjee-to ask if any section of their communities should be included in the list. They, however, said no such measure was needed. After all, Christianity was an egalitarian, classless religion. They were wrong-and Christians in this country believe they are still bearing the cross. UNQUOTE .......Sunil Dasgupta Cheers, Santosh ----- Original Message ----- From: Marshall Mendonza <mmendonz...@gmail.com> > >Further to my last posting on this subject, as far as my knowledge and >information goes, dalits of all religions were granted reservations and >benefits by the government >from 1937 onwards due to >their social and >economic diabilities. > >This Act was overturned in 1950, under the influence of hindutva elements, >whereby a Presidential Order was passed restricting the reservations and >benefits only to hindus. All other religions were cut >off. After fighting >this discrimination for many years, first the Sikhs in 1959 and then the >Buddhists in 1990 were extended the >reservations and benefits. It may be >noted that both Buddhism and >Sikhism are egalitarian religions and do not >recognise castes just like Christianity and Islam. However >this was the logic >given for excluding christian and muslim dalits. > >A number of Commissions, the last being the Rangnath Mishra Commission have >pointed out this discrimination and recommended that the reservation and >benefits be >extended to all dalits >irrespective of religion. However, the >government lacks the will to implement this. > >Regards, > >Marshall
