Author: R.L. Francis
Publication: Vijayvaani.com
Date: November 20, 2008
URL: http://www.vijayvaani.com/FrmPublicDisplayArticle.aspx?id=250
The leaders of the Indian Church are being
accused of not giving equal status and opportunity to Dalits in the Catholic
Church to this day. The scheduled castes and tribals fought against religion,
an unjust society, and unequal economic distribution, and accepted Christianity,
only to later realize that in Christianity also there was/is no equal justice
and place for them.
Dalit and Tribal Catholics are sad for not
having a dignified life in the Catholic Church. Upper caste Catholics are
having a full hold and control on the Catholic Church. Almost all priests,
bishops and cardinals come from the upper castes and select leaders for different
associations from their own castes.
There are very few Dalit priests and nuns
in the Catholic church. Converted Dalit Catholics had great hopes from Dalit
priests and nuns in all the dioceses, so when Dalit priests and nuns are harassed
and persecuted by Bishops and superiors, the converted Dalits become sad and
lose hope of gaining equality and justice in the Church. In fact, in order
to have full hold on the Catholic Church, upper caste Bishops and priests
deny equal place and opportunity to the Dalit priests, nuns and lay persons
in the Church.
Fr. William Premdass Chaudhary is the only
local Dalit priest in the Delhi Catholic Archdiocese. On 30 July 2006, his
family members and villagers held a dharna at the Bishop's house to protest
the discrimination against Fr. William Premdass by Archbishop Vincent M. Concessao.
His brother Laxmi Chand gave a memorandum to the Archbishop and appealed to
him not to mistreat his brother on the basis of region and caste.
Mr. Laxmi Chand reminded the Archbishop about
the pain and trouble they had suffered in order to make his brother, Fr. William,
a catholic priest for Delhi Diocese. Most of the family members and villagers
are Hindu, so they had opposition within the family and in the village. Mr.
Laxmi Chand lives in Gurgaon, Haryana. He said that his brother completed
11 years of priestly study in order to become a priest for Delhi Catholic
Archdiocese. It was hoped that he would be able to work for deprived people
in society.
Mr. Laxmi Chand told Archbishop Vincent Concessao
via the memorandum that the family sacrificed Fr. William to work selflessly
in the church and spread the message of love of Christ. The family was shocked
when it came to know that their brother was being ill-treated on the basis
of caste and region, and that the Archbishop was against local Dalit Catholics
and encouraged regionalism and casteism in the Archdiocese.
Fr. William Premdass was appointed at Faridabad
and Rewari in Haryana, and Defence Colony, Delhi Cantt, Mayur Vihar Ph-III
and Pitampura churches in Delhi; but he was not allowed to work freely by
the Archbishop who constantly interfered in his work. Mr. Laxmi Chand alleged
that the Archbishop was discriminating against local Dalit Catholics and local
Dalit priests on the basis of language, region, race, colour and caste. Catholic
Archdiocese never consulted local Dalits and priests while taking important
decision; the Archbishop has different rules and regulations for North Indian
and South Indian priests, which is against the policy of the church and Christianity.
Fr. William Premdass' family denied any intent
to insult or dishonour Rev. Bishop Vincent Concessao. But as the family had
sacrificed a brother in the name of Jesus Christ, they were grieved to find
that within the church he was being forced to live a life of insult and humiliation.
After loyally serving the church for over 15 years, he was facing injustice
and partiality at the hands of the authorities. The family has claimed that
the Archbishop is putting conditions of long retreat before assigning the
parish to Fr. William, though there are no conditions for other priests who
have not gone on long retreat and are holding important positions in Church.
There are 14000 priests in the Catholic Church,
but only 600 are Dalits. There are 160 Bishops but only 6 are Dalit. Dalits
comprise 70% of the total population of the Catholic Church. But a few upper
caste Bishops and priests rule and control the church and use church property
for their own ends. Church leaders are increasing their kingdom while converting
Hindu Dalits to Christianity; they are creating divisions and tensions in
Indian society through their activities in India.
In fact, Indian Churches are being controlled
and ruled by the southern, particularly Portuguese, churches. Portuguese missionaries
and people could not influence and control Indian politics, but they had full
control over the Catholic Church. Vasco D'Gama was sent to India by the Pope
to control the Indian Catholic Church. Before the Portuguese missionaries
arrived in India, they were already old Catholics and Syrian Catholics in
India, especially in South India.
Portuguese missionaries made them their slaves
by force while the British were ruling and controlling India. The upper caste
Catholics of Kerala and Tamil Nadu obeyed and worked along with Portuguese
missionaries. Even though the British left India, the Pope had influence and
control over the Catholic Church.
Independent India gave the people freedom
on religion. Foreign missionaries had left enough wealth, movable and immovable
property in the Catholic Church, and this wealth now fell under the control
of upper caste bishops, priests and leaders. In order to increase the population
of the church, the upper caste bishops, priests and missionaries started to
convert Hindu Dalits and poor people to Christianity. They received foreign
aid to increase church population, and this in turn increased the church votebank.
This gave the upper caste bishops, priests and church leaders the protection
of Indian politicians. As they received help and protection from politicians,
Indian missionaries took advantage in converting Hindu Dalits to Christianity.
Recently many persons died in Kandhmal district
in Orissa. Many churches, institutions and houses were burnt and there was
a heavy loss of wealth and life. These were Schedule Caste people, belonging
to Pana caste, who are converts. Church leaders are fighting and demanding
the State Government give people of Pana Caste the status of Schedule Tribe
so that they may not loose quota after conversion.
This is the real hurdle for conversion before
the church leaders. For many decades church leaders were/are trying to remove
this root hurdle for converting Hindu Dalits by forcing the Government to
give them the status of Schedule Tribe. This struggle has built up tensions
in the region.
Actually church leaders are not interested
in the development of converted Catholics; they only want to increase numbers.
They are eyeing 16 crore Hindus. The church leaders are playing a double game.
If people of Pana caste are given Schedule Tribe status, they will retain
quota/reservation after accepting Christianity and the Church need not to
give them anything, and conversions may continue. Church leaders are running
a conversion shop.
The Indian Catholic Church must follow the
rules and regulations (Canon Law) of the Catholic Church. The Vatican appoints
the Indian Bishops. Usually Catholic Bishops give less importance to the local
community and that's why their interference in the work of local priest brings
suffering to local priests.
In the year 2000, Fr. Anthony Fernandez SJ,
was harassed, persecuted and asked to leave the society because he raised
his voice against conversions and refused to change the religion of the local
community; he also challenged various rights of Bishops. Fr. Henry of Jhansi
Diocese was insulted and persecuted because he took the side of local poor
Christians.
Today many priests are facing punishment and
posting in neglected places for being Dalits and speaking up for their own
people. "Poor Christian Liberation Movement" (PCLM) is a leading
organisation working for Dalit Christians and demanding equality and respect
for Dalit priests and nuns. In the words of Jesus Christ, we should be like
salt. If the salt has no taste, it will have no use and will be thrown outside
like dust and trampled upon.
- The author is president, Poor Christian
Liberation Movement