BRS seeks SC status for Dalit Christians through Presidential Order amendment

A BRS delegation met the National Commission examining Scheduled Caste status for Dalit Christians and sought an amendment to the 1950 Presidential Order. The party argued that religious conversion does not remove social discrimination and called for extending SC status to Dalit Christians.

Hyderabad: A BRS delegation on Tuesday met Justice KG Balakrishnan, Chairman of the National Commission examining the issue of Scheduled Caste status for Dalit Christians, and submitted a detailed memorandum seeking an amendment to the 1950 Presidential Order. The BRS leaders appealed to the Commission to ensure that justice is not denied to Dalit Christians.

The delegation comprised Rajya Sabha deputy floor leader Vaddiraju Ravichandra, former Minister Koppula Eshwar, BRS general secretary RS Praveen Kumar and party leader Mede Rajiv Sagar.

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Speaking after the meeting, Ravichandra said conversion to Christianity does not eliminate the social discrimination and economic backwardness faced by Dalits. He argued that Dalit Christians should continue to enjoy constitutional safeguards available to Scheduled Castes. He stated that the erstwhile BRS government had passed a resolution in the Telangana Assembly seeking an amendment to the Presidential Order.

He pointed out that people belonging to other faiths were not being deprived of their reservation benefits after conversion and said treating Dalit Christians differently would amount to discrimination. He said that, if needed, the BRS would take the legal route to ensure justice for Dalit Christians.

Koppula Eshwar contended that classifying Dalit Christians under the BC-C category was inadequate, as their social conditions remained unchanged despite religious conversion. He urged the Commission to recommend extending SC status to them by amending the Presidential Order under Article 341.

RS Praveen Kumar termed the existing Presidential Order discriminatory and inconsistent with constitutional guarantees of equality and religious freedom under Articles 15, 17, 21 and 25. He argued that while members of other communities continue to receive reservation benefits after conversion, Dalits lose such protections solely because of a change in religion.

He urged the Commission to recommend corrective measures to the Centre, stating that extending SC status to Dalit Christians was essential to ensuring social justice and equal constitutional rights. He also questioned the silence of Congress and BJP MPs on the issue.