Members of the Dalit Christian Liberation Movement on Tuesday said they would launch a protest against the appointment of non-Dalit Bishop Francis Kalist as the Archbishop of Archdiocese of Cuddalore-Pondicherry in Puducherry on April 11 and April 29, when he would be consecrated as the Archbishop, citing the ‘discriminatory attitude’ against the Dalits by the Catholic Church in India in appointments of Bishops and Archbishops.
DCLM claimed that the Tamil Nadu Bishop Council president Archbishop George Antonysamy and former president Archbishop Antony Pappusamy acted in a discriminatory manner against Dalits and demanded they resign from their posts taking responsibility.
DCLM State president Mary John alleged the Dioceses in Tamil Nadu are dominated by Vellalar, Udayar, Vanniyar, Nadar and fisherman communities. “Most of the Bishops and Arch Bishops in Tamil Nadu-Pondicherry Dioceses routinely come from Vellalar, Udayar, Vanniyar, Nadar and Fisherman community. This is an injustice despite 75% of the Catholics in Tamil Nadu being Dalits,” he said.
He claimed that only 11 out of 180 Bishops are Dalits and only 2 out of 31 Archbishops in India are Dalits.
“There are 17 Bishops in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry but only one is a Dalit. This marginalisation and exclusion is widespread in appointments, education, employment opportunities, financial assistance in the Catholic Church despite Dalits being 64% of Indian catholic population and 75% of Tamil Nadu-Pondicherry Archdiocese. This can be corrected only when Dalits are appointed as Arch Bishops and Bishops,” he said.
