Leaders of Hindutva outfits, who have been campaigning against what they dubbed as “orchestrated” religious conversions, are opposed to granting Scheduled Caste status to Dalit Christians.
Indu Makkal Katchi (IMK) president Arjun Sampath is apprehensive that if Dalit Christians are brought under the Scheduled Caste fold, they would eat into the communal reservation pie, leading to an “unhealthy” fallout. Sampath’s other contention is that it is simply unacceptable that those who embraced Christianity citing caste discrimination in Hinduism are now fighting for being awarded the Scheduled Caste status. “Those who left Hindu religion expecting benefits by converting should not be complaining about caste now,” he contended, adding, “Why should they come back and eat from the table they had voluntarily left?”
Echoing a similar view, BJP State president Pon Radhakrishnan said granting SC status to religious converts would create unnecessary problems, as it would take away the reservation benefits enjoyed by the Hindu Dalits.