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Bishop, mend thyself! - On Dalit Christians

Bishop, mend thyself! - On Dalit Christians

Author: Joseph Pulikkunnel
Publication: Organiser
Date: January 12, 1997

Shri Joseph Pulikkunnel, the eminent scholar and Director of Indian Institute of Christian Studies, is known for his maverick views on social issues especially those pertaining to Christianity. He has sent us a copy of his "Open Letter to the Protesting Bishops". In this letter he unveils the duplicity of Bishops and the chemistry behind their demand for reservations for the so-called Dalit Christians. "It was with the false hope of an egalitarian status within the 'Christian community. that once "depressed classes" (Dalits) agreed to convert to Christianity " Pointing an accusing finger towards the clergy for the so-called Christian Dalits' oppression he. writes, "You are playing politics with the poor Christian 'Dalits'."

Following is the text of his letter.

Dear Bishops,

It is reported in the newspapers that your Graces, and Lordships have graciously comedown to the earth in New Delhi, in a protest, march for equal rights for "Dalit" Christians. I am happy to know from media photos that many of you, clad in Roman royal dress, thereby distinguishing yourself from the common people, graced the occasion with a Royal touch. It is heartening to know that at least now, Your Lordships have learned that there are "Dalits" in the Christian community. "Dalits" mean persons who are being persecuted and oppressed.

When your Graces And Lordships, and your predecessors converted Dalits from the Hindu Society, the main attraction offered to them was that there was no caste discrimination in the Christian society and that they would be treated equally as brothers in Christ. It was with this false hope of an egalitarian status within the Christian community that the poor Dalits converted themselves to Christianity. If they are still dalits, the question is who has been oppressing them of late.

It is true that when they were in the Hindu society they were oppressed by, the caste system that existed in that society. But, was it not a solemn pledge before God and man that these converted Christians would be looked after without any discrimination and with Christian love and sharing?

When the father of the Constitution provided for the Dalits' reservation Hindus, who formed the vast majority, of the population, accepted in principle the reservation for Dalits. They were surrendering the equality of opportunity enshrined in the Constitution in favour of the, Dalits, as a compensation for the ill-treatment their forefathers did to that community. Here it may be remembered that this charitable disposition was not shown by the white Christians towards the black Christians in America.

If there are Dalits in the Christian community the responsibility to compensate for their oppression is vested in you, for your, hierarchy itself was responsible for ordering and maintaining the social discrimination in the Christian community.

The question is whether you addressed yourself in the past to the problems of the converted Christians-your "beloved" sheeps-who had been living for more than 100 years as Christians? If you make a solemn heart search you can see that you have done practically nothing for their uplift. If you look into the yearly income of all the dioceses, parishes, monasteries and convents of India, that would be equal to the budget amount of any state in India. Perhaps this is a random estimation, because nobody knows your real income, as it is a well guarded secret. If you were to set apart 10% of your annual income, internal and foreign, for the newly converted Christians, I am mm all of them would be having a good house and funds for education. If you were to reserve just 20% of the job opportunities in your institutions that are protected by minority rights, I am sure 10 years all educated "Dalit" could be provided with jobs.

You are today lavishing the jobs in minority institutions to the nuns and priests who are privileged and seldom to newly converted Christians. You are running these schools under the protection of the minority rights as per Article 30 of the constitution. Under this article the rights are conferred on the whole community with the sole purpose of protecting the culture of the community under Article 29. But you are running these institutions without any reference to the community; there are no elected representatives of the community to sit on the Managing Boards of the Christian educational institutions, while the community pay for its establishments. There is no control over you by the Government either. So, presently the educational institutions are run m the name of Christian community, without reference to the community, by a microscopic minority, ie, you and your priests and nuns, who belong to the upper class strata of Christian society.

You, who protest and fight against the government are averse to the idea of anybody representing their grievances you. When a group of "Dalits" and others who wanted to present a memorandum to you at the conference of the All India Bishops held in Vadavathoor, Kottayam, Kerala a few years back you called in police protection.

If converted Christians are "Dalits" today, certainly you are the oppressors. You cannot reasonably put the blame on anybody else. Had you ever cared for their economic uplift with the huge amount of money at your command, they would never have been an oppressed lot.

By presenting your royalties in Delhi you have belittled Jesus our Lord and his teachings. Christ preached the gospel for the poor. In heralding the gospel Jesus said : "The Sprit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord" (Luke 4 : 18, 19).

You, who were commissioned by Jesus our Lord to set at liberty, those who are oppressed have been perpetuating oppression in the Christian social milieu. Christ had identified with the down trodden and lived with them sharing their pains, sorrows and agony. But have you ever thought of sharing these with the down trodden brothers, who were the victims of caste system and opted for Christ?

You were more interested, in the number game increasing the number of Christians in the census reports. Accusing the pharasees Christ said : "They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for, they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honour at feats and the best seats m the synagogues, and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by men" (Mathew 23: 4-7, "15").

You converted the Dalits by pouring water on their heads and now you wash your hands of the responsibilities and recommend the mercy of the state, bailing them out with the Hindu Dalits. You have taken over the condemned leprosy of caste system on the Christian society and unashamedly own it. You are playing politics with the poor Christian "Dalits". You know by your muscle power and vote-bank mechanism can obtain concession from the government by creating social tension in India; you are using your money power to that end. You are playing the same game the Pharasees did during the time of Lord Jesus. The Son of man is shouting at you, "blind guides".


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