AP Government to take action against Christian Pastors holding SC Certificates

Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF), the watchdog NGO working for the rights of Scheduled Castes people, made a tweed in this regard, citing a communication from the Principal Secretary (Social Welfare), Government of Andhra Pradesh, to the National SC Commission.

Nijam Today has accessed a copy of the letter from the Government of Andhra Pradesh to the National SC Commission in which the Principal Secretary (Social Welfare) of Andhra Pradesh informed the Commission 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 AP Christian Minority Corporation to submit a detailed and factual report regarding the allegations made by the Legal Rights Protection Forum, and the reports are awaited.

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.

Back Ground of the Case:

In 2019, the government of Andhra Pradesh made a single-time payment to religious workers such as Pastors, Imams and Archaks, each Rs 5000 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 one-time assistance of rupees five thousand from the Andhra Pradesh government through ‘The Disaster Relief Fund’ are holding Hindu SC/OBC Caste Certificates. Subsequently, LRPF submitted a petition to the National SC Commission 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 National SC Commission 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.