Dalit Christians allege that the chariot is not brought to their locality, they are denied membership, the bishop protested
Tamil Nadu/Tiruchi: Dalit Christians of Kottapalayam village near Thuraiyur began a hunger strike near the Tiruchi Collectorate on Monday. They alleged that they have been deliberately excluded from the ongoing annual festival of the century-old St. Mary Magdalene Church and are constantly being subjected to caste discrimination.
The festival began on July 14 and the church comes under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kumbakonam. The protesters say that they have not been included in the festival plans for decades, have not been given a place in the church committee and the Rath Yatra is not taken to their area.
“Donate, but do not ask questions”
J., who has been associated with the church for a long time. “We are not charged with various church memberships like others are charged with. Instead, we are only asked to pay ‘donations’. The aim is to stop us from raising our voices,” said Dos Prakash.
Bishop’s symbolic protest
According to a report in The New Indian Express, the church’s bishop, Jeevanandam Amalanathan, said he will not participate in Tuesday’s Rath Yatra. “The caste discrimination that continues in the parish is worrisome. Christians from dominant castes are not willing to give equal rights to Dalit Christians,” he said. However, he also said that there has been no discrimination from the church’s side.
“Not a single chariot comes to our streets”
The protesters said that a total of seven chariots are taken out during the festival, but not a single chariot comes to the streets of Dalit settlements. “We were abused with casteist slurs and threatened not to intervene at the festival planning meeting on July 6,” said a protester.
Parishioner Raj Nobili said, “Only after giving membership do we get the right to ask questions. That is why we are not being made members. The administration should at least ensure that a chariot comes to our street as well.”
“Violation of Constitution”
Human rights lawyer Joe Kennedy, who was part of the protest, said, “This is a violation of the right to equality given in the Constitution of India. The church has to break the wall of casteism that has spread within it.”
The protesters submitted a memorandum to the District Revenue Officer (DRO) and demanded legal action against the church pastor and others who allegedly made casteist remarks and threatened them.
Key demands:
- Equal rights in all religious and festive activities
- Formation of an inclusive parish council
- Legal action on caste discrimination
According to revenue department sources, the concerned officials have been directed to investigate the matter.
Rajan Chaudhary
Courtesy : Hindi News