India’s high court defers ruling on Dalit rights

NEW DELHI — India’s Supreme Court Nov. 28 deferred ruling for the third time on whether Dalit Christians — low-caste “untouchables” — can be denied job and education rights. Dalits belonging to the Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh faiths qualify for a government plan that reserves 26 percent of jobs and educational places for them.

Under current laws, Dalits who convert to Christianity or Islam lose their reservation privileges. Christian leaders said India’s 16 million Dalit Christians are extremely frustrated and demoralized by the government’s position.

“We as Dalit Christians are intrigued and saddened by the contrary positions taken by the ruling coalition in its public assurances to us and its arguments before the Supreme Court,” leaders said in a statement by the All India Catholic Union.