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“Will Take ‘Strict Action’ Against Christian Pastors Holding SC Certificates”: AP Govt Informs NCSC

In a big development, the Andhra Pradesh government has reportedly informed the National Commission for Scheduled Caste (NCSC) that it will take strict action against Christian pastors who hold Scheduled Caste certificates.

Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF), the NGO-watchdog working for the rights of Scheduled Caste community, tweeted about the development citing a communication from the Principal Secretary (Social Welfare), Government of Andhra Pradesh, to the NCSC.

According to a report by Nijam Today, the Principal Secretary (Social Welfare) of Andhra Pradesh Government has sent a letter to NCSC in which it was informed that they have shared district-wise data of pastors who availed of one-time assistance with respective district collectors (erstwhile districts) and asked them to verify the genuineness of the caste of beneficiaries case by case and submit the reports to District Level Scrutiny Committee for cancellation of SC certificates.

The letter also states that the Director of Social Welfare has requested all the District Collectors and the Managing Directors of the Andhra Pradesh Christian Minority Corporation to submit a detailed and factual report regarding the allegations made by the Legal Rights Protection Forum.

The letter also quoted another report in which the Director of Social Welfare stated that the final report would be submitted to the government soon after receiving the report from the District Collectors.

Background

In 2019, the Government of Andhra Pradesh made a one-time payment of ₹5000 to religious workers such as Pastors, Imams and Archaks, through the disaster management fund.

In September 2020, the Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF) stated that it had found 70% of 29,841 Christian pastors who received the one-time assistance are holding Hindu SC/OBC Caste Certificates.

Subsequently, LRPF submitted a petition to the NCSC demanding action against the large-scale misuse of SC status by converted Christians and called it a state-assisted incentive to convert to Christianity.

Following the petition submitted by the SC ST Rights Forum, a wing of LRPF, the NCSC issued a notice to the Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh seeking an ‘Action Taken Report’ in the matter of large-scale Christian conversions happening amongst the Scheduled Caste (SC) community. The Government of Andhra Pradesh has ordered to survey the SC and Christian population.

On 12th August 2021, a memo was issued by the Deputy Director of the Social Welfare Department to Assistant Social Welfare Officers allocated to different revenue divisions to conduct field surveys and furnish the following information within five working days:

1. SC & Christian Population at Municipality and Mandal Wise.
2. Number of Churches in each Municipality/Mandal.
3. Visit SC colonies and observe if they practise Hinduism or Christianity.

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