Respect Jesus teaching ; Christian bodies against Church conspiracy to include them in SC Category

Respect Jesus’ teachings and do not include us in SC category

New Delhi, December 24th 2013

The Poor Christian Liberation Movement (PCLM) and United Christian Democratic Forum (UCDF) have named Church Authorities of conspiring to include them in the Scheduled Caste list, which they said is not acceptable to Dalit Christians.

In an open letter to His Holiness Pope Francis and Church Authorities, the PCLM President R. L. Francis, Advocate George Tomas, Rev. Ashwini Kumar and P. B. Lomeo said that Dalits converted to Christianity prefer to preserve their dignity, and are willing to forgo Scheduled Caste tag.

Demanding compensation for the 30 million Dalit Christians, Mr. Francis said Dalits have suffered heavy economic losses by foregoing reservation and converting to Christianity to get respect and dignity in the Christian society.

At the all India level, the Church flaunts that it has 22 percent education institution and funding and 30 percent health monopoly. Thus, it has resources almost at par with the Government of India. If the Church has such an enormous power why are the Dalit Christian not even getting the crumbs?

Today, the Catholic Church Governance has six Cardinals, 30 Arch Bishops, 170 Bishops, 822 Major Superior and 25000 priests and over a lakh nuns. The surprising element is that in this huge administrative structure the number Dalit Christians holding of any importance cannot be counted on the fingers too.

In a press release, Mr. Francis said the efforts of the Indian Church authorities to put Dalit Christians yet again in the scheduled Caste list would promote casteism in Christianity. It’s a mockery of Jesus Christ’s birth as “Saviour” in Bethlehem.

R. L. Francis
President, PCLM

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