New Delhi: The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) has awarded 83 people, including 25 youth and 13 women, for their contribution toward the empowerment of Dalit people in the country.
The awards were given at a program organized by the CBCI Office for Scheduled Castes and Backward Castes in New Delhi to celebrate the 125th birth anniversary of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, an Indian jurist, who was the principal architect of the Constitution of India.
The May 23 program was held in two parts and at two different venues, Jesuit-managed Indian Social Institute, Lodi Road, in the morning and at the Constitution Club, Rafi Marg, in the afternoon.
The CBCI office said it chose for the wards Dalit Catholic activists, who have invested resources and worked selflessly for the Church and society, especially for the liberation and empowerment of Dalits and the marginalized people for more than 10 years.
The awardees received certificates and shield from dignitaries on the stage. Five were given the awards posthumously.
A special shield was awarded the Life Empowerment Center, Achcharampakkam, Tamil Nadu, for exquisite performance of Dalit and folk dances. The young awardees received the certificates from Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio.
At the award giving ceremony, chief guest retired Chief Justice of India K G. Balakrishnan explained “the great concern” Ambedkar had shown toward minorities and how he had made constitutional guidelines to safeguard them.
The nuncio, who was the guest of honor, expressed joy at the celebration to honor Ambedkar, who he said was committed to the Dalits. The nuncio quoted Pope Francis to assert the need to see Jesus in the poor and serve them poor.
CBCI president Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, who presided over the award ceremony, said it was “apt and fitting” for the Church to celebrate the birth anniversary of Ambedkar, a champion of the Dalits. The cardinal, who also heads the Syro-Malankara rite, noted that Dalit liberation is part of Church’s mission.
Bishop Anthonisamy Neethinathan of Chenglepet, chairperson of the CBCI office, while welcoming the gathering recalled Ambedkar’s criticism of “the misery of caste” in the Indian Church. “We, the followers of Jesus, are committed to the Dalits, the poor and the downtrodden,” the prelate asserted.
Member of Parliament J. D. Seelam, who also spoke at the award ceremony, drew parallel between Moses, who helped liberate Jews from Egypt, and Ambedkar, the savior of the Dalits in India. He urged the Church to preach the social gospel and demanded appointment of Dalits as archbishops and bishops in greater number as majority of Catholics in India are from the former low caste groups.
The dignitaries at the award ceremony included Prakash Ambedkar, Ambedkar’s son and national president of Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh. While felicitating the awardees; the 62-year-old leader stressed the need for political involvement to free the Dalits economically and socially.
Prakash Ambedkar was the keynote speaker at the national seminar on Dalit empower held in the morning at the Indian Social Institute. He regretted that the Church has neglected the Dalits and the poor although it that provides “excellent education and health services.” He wants the Church to “consciously serve” the poor and the neglected.
CBCI secretary general Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, who chaired the seminar, asserted that the Church will never tolerate injustice and that it always upholds the option for the poor and the marginalized.
Bishop Jacob Mar Barnabas of Gurgaon also attended the program.
Four youngsters, who came first and second in the essay competitions from schools and colleges, were given prices.
A troupe, comprising 25 young boys and girls from the Dhobi community from Life Empowerment Center (LEC) from Tamil Nadu, performed Dalit and Folk dances highlighting the education and empowerment of Dalit and other marginalized communities.
One of the awardees, Leela Kumari, president of Dalit Women Literary Parishad, shared her struggles in places such as Tsundur. She also acknowledged the great good done to many Dalits by Catholic nuns and priests who served like Jesus and how the Church must continue to work for empowerment of Dalits especially Women.