Mangaluru
The Social Justice Forum of Mangaluru has warned that it will boycott the ongoing state-wide socio-educational survey if the government does not remove the word “Christian” that appears alongside 47 sub-castes listed under the Hindu community.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday forum leaders said that the current classification was misleading and hurtful. They argued that Christians, though historically sharing certain cultural links with various Hindu castes, constitute a distinct religious group and should not be shown under Hindu categories in official records.
The forum maintained that if the classification is left uncorrected, it would not only distort the findings of the survey but also create social confusion and potential conflicts in the future. “This amounts to denying the unique identity of Christians and reducing the credibility of the survey itself,” leaders said.
They further alleged that officials responsible for drafting the list failed to consult community leaders or cross-check with established demographic data before publishing the categories.
The forum has submitted a memorandum to the district administration and urged the Backward Classes Commission to take corrective steps immediately. It stressed that unless the error is rectified, its members and several Christian groups across the district would refuse to participate in the survey.
Community representatives concluded that while they support the principle of a socio-educational survey, participation will only be possible if all communities are represented fairly and accurately.
