Rudra Thandavam movie that questions Crypto Christian gets a baffling High Court verdict

 

Rudra Thandavam the movie released last week dealt with the issue of Crypto Christian and ironically in the same week of release, Madras High Court verdict to restore a Scheduled caste status to a lady married to a Christian and has children born out of him, has baffled those who are fighting to oppose this dual identity.

In the film, the hero ( Police inspector) is booked under the Prevention of  Atrocities to SC/ ST 1989 for attacking a suspect on the run and using derogatory caste remarks and commenting on the T Shirt having Ambedkar imprint on it. The lawyer proves through a video footage that the suspect had already converted to Christianity in presence of a Church Priest. The counter argument was that there was no church records to show this and reply was that church records are not maintained strictly and can always be created or destroyed at any time.

Here in the High Court case, the woman SC/ ST status was withdrawn and her caste certificate was cancelled by the officials. They put forth an evidence of the woman after marrying a Christian attending Church, wearing a cross and displaying it in her office. The Court ruled that by merely attending Church or going with her husband and children to Church does not make her a Christian. It was seen as a narrow mindedness of the official. The SC/ST status was ordered to be given back to her.

Many Hindu SC/ ST sects have been fighting against the crypto Christian who continues to enjoy both the World. This eats into the available benefits – government jobs, quota to college ( including professional courses)  admission  and loans at low rates from Banks.

According to those opposing this dual identity,  this ruling  will further fuel conversion to Christianity. Apart from the birth certificate where the parents fill in the caste name, there is no other way to certify anybody as a Hindu. In case of inter faith marriage conducted under Special Marriage Act, Church insists on an affidavit stating that the children will be brought up as Christians.

Yet another point raised is that Hindu woman converted to Islam can also claim SC/ST benefits as wearing a burkha – reading Quran and saying Naamaz cannot be treated as they have embraced Islam.  Men converted to Islam have to undergo circumcision.