Christianity, in its universal narrative, preaches equality under God. Yet, within Indian churches, the lived experience of Dalits who became Christians tells a different story, one marred by caste-based segregation, exclusion from church leadership, and even physical violence.
Between 2008 and 2025, incidents across Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry illustrate how caste hierarchies continue to shape Christian institutions, contradicting the very essence of the religion’s teachings.
The report, compiled by The CommuneMag, draws from court documents, protests, and testimonies to show how conversion has failed to dismantle caste barriers, often leaving Dalits trapped between spiritual promise and social rejection.
The issue has also gained renewed attention following Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s claim that “inequality in Hinduism” drives conversions, a statement challenged by these incidents, which prove that caste discrimination thrives even within the Christian fold.
Supreme Court intervention (2025)
In 2025, the Supreme Court of India agreed to hear a petition filed by a Dalit person from Trichy district, Tamil Nadu, against the St. Mary Magdalene Parish in Kottapalayam. They alleged that the parish banned them from participating in annual celebrations and even segregated burial practices, denying Dalits funeral masses and entry into the church hall.
A bench led by Justices PS Narasimha and Manoj Misra issued notices to the Tamil Nadu government and church authorities, demanding explanations by mid-April 2025. This case marked a landmark moment, with India’s apex court acknowledging caste-based discrimination within the Christian clergy.
Systematic exclusion in Church membership (2023)
Two years earlier, Dalit converted to Christianity from Kottapalayam village under the Kumbakonam Catholic Diocese, alleged that only dominant-caste Christians were accepted as parish members. Dalits were barred from contributing financially, attending meetings, or voting on church matters.
Festival ban in Trichy (2023)
In Ayyampatti, near Trichy, converted Dalits were prevented from joining annual festivals or using community halls for weddings. Parish leaders reportedly limited recognition and privileges to “upper-caste” families. Dalit groups called it institutionalised segregation under the guise of church tradition.
Discrimination in Christian institutions (2022)
The rot extended beyond parish walls. At Loyola College, Chennai, a Jesuit-run institution, Lawrence D’Cruz, a Dalit convert, alleged harassment, humiliation, and wrongful termination. Assigned menial jobs and subjected to caste-based slurs, D’Cruz said his termination in 2022 was retaliation for raising concerns.
Several others came forward with similar accounts, exposing discrimination in premier Christian educational institutions that pride themselves on social justice.
Protests over Archbishop appointments (2022-2021)
The Dalit Christian Liberation Movement (DCLM) launched multiple protests in Chennai and Villupuram against the appointment of non-Dalit bishops and archbishops. Demonstrators argued that despite forming the majority of Tamil Nadu’s Christian population, Dalits were systematically excluded from leadership.
The protests intensified in 2021 when Pope Francis appointed Father Arulselvam Rayappan, belonging to the Vanniyar caste, as Bishop of Salem, a diocese with a predominantly Dalit congregation. “It is caste politics inside the Church, nothing less,” said DCLM leader Mary John, accusing Vatican representatives of perpetuating discrimination.
Nuns and Priests speak out (2021)
That same year, Sister Robency Amal Helen from the Idente Missionaries courageously broke her silence, stating that Dalit converts and clergy face systematic humiliation within church institutions. “We are called to serve, but not to lead,” she said, shedding light on how caste bias affects promotions, postings, and recognition.
Her statement resonated with National Council of Dalit Christians (NCDC) leaders, who in June 2021 wrote to Pope Francis, seeking Vatican intervention. The NCDC accused Indian bishops and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) of “turning a blind eye” to untouchability and segregation in church life.
Madras High court steps in (2021)
The Madras High Court soon issued notices to CBCI, the Council of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), and all 18 bishops of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry following a petition by Gnanapragasam Mathew, convenor of the Tamil Nadu Dalit Christian Alliance.
The petition listed 151 villages where Dalit Catholics were banned from common worship, denied priesthood opportunities, and forced to conduct separate festivals, an echo of the caste apartheid that conversion was meant to end.
Protests and calls for representation (2020-2021)
Between 2020 and 2021, Tamil Nadu witnessed a surge of Christian protests led by converted Dalits. From Kumbakonam to Pondicherry-Cuddalore, rallies demanded fair representation in church hierarchies. Protesters accused the Church of perpetuating a “two-tier Christianity,” where upper-caste clergy monopolised leadership while Dalits were confined to the margins.
Placards carried slogans like “We are equal before God, not before the Bishop.” Despite repeated appeals, Church authorities largely ignored these demands.
Kerala honour killing (2018)
In Kerala, the murder of a converted Dalit Kevin Joseph in 2018 exposed the deadly consequences of caste within Christian communities. Killed just three days after marrying an upper-caste Christian woman, Joseph’s case was declared an honour killing by a Kerala court. Fourteen individuals, including the woman’s father and brother, were convicted, proving that caste purity and social status continue to overshadow faith.
Reports and admissions of discrimination (2016-2018)
In 2018, the Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front (TNUEF) published a report titled “Dalit Christians Crucified,” documenting rampant discrimination in the Sivaganga Diocese. It revealed separate churches, graveyards, and priesthood barriers for Dalits, as well as caste-based employment preferences in church-run schools and hospitals.
Earlier, in 2016, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India issued a landmark policy paper titled “Policy for Dalit Empowerment in the Catholic Church in India.” The document acknowledged untouchability and lack of Dalit representation and urged dioceses to submit reform plans, though implementation has remained sluggish.
That same year, Cardinal Oswald Gracias publicly admitted that Dalit Christians faced “serious discrimination within church structures,” marking a rare acknowledgement from the top hierarchy.
Violence against Dalits in Clergy (2016)
Perhaps one of the most shocking incidents occurred in Cuddapah, Andhra Pradesh, where Bishop Prasad Gallela, a Dalit, was kidnapped and assaulted by three Catholic priests from the Reddy caste. They demanded a ransom of £50,000, accusing him of mismanaging church funds. The South India Dalit Catholic Association condemned the attack as “a caste-motivated act designed to humiliate a Dalit leader.”
Despite the gravity of the crime, the Church hierarchy’s muted response sparked outrage, further alienating Dalit Christians.
Segregation in worship and festivals (2008-2016)
In Eraiyur village, caste segregation has long scarred the local Catholic Church. In 2008, tensions between Vanniyar and converted Dalit communities erupted into violence, leaving two dead and several injured. The flashpoint was the exclusion of Dalits from a church festival procession, a practice continuing despite court interventions.
A 2010 Madras High Court order had mandated inclusive processions, yet by 2016, dominant-caste parishioners still blocked Dalits from entering the church through the main gate. Even funeral carts and roads were segregated, symbolising a deep social divide embedded within religious space.
Statistical disparity and ongoing struggles
According to data cited in the 2016 Thadam Thedi report, out of 39.6 lakh Catholics in Tamil Nadu, 22.4 lakh are Dalits. Yet, only two of the 18 bishops in the state belong to Dalit communities. Dalit converts often face exclusion from seminaries, parish committees, and educational leadership positions.
This imbalance mirrors a feudal structure disguised in religious robes, where social privilege continues to determine spiritual authority.
Faith or Fallacy? The continuing contradiction
While Christian missionaries have historically campaigned against caste in India, the persistence of internal hierarchies exposes a troubling duality. Converts who fled Hindu caste oppression often find themselves reclassified within the Church as “Dalit converts”, a label that perpetuates stigma.
Activists argue that the Church’s silence and token gestures only deepen alienation. “We are Christians by baptism, Dalits by treatment,” said one DCLM member during a 2023 rally.
A faith at a crossroads
From courtrooms to churchyards, the 21 documented incidents between 2008 and 2025 demonstrate a systemic pattern of caste-based exclusion within Indian Christianity. Despite repeated promises of reform, Dalits remain outsiders in the very institutions that promise salvation.
As India’s judiciary begins to address these issues, the question remains: will the Church reconcile its egalitarian ideals with social reality, or will caste continue to cast its long shadow across its altars?
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