Headlines
Dalit IAS officer explores law to preach Christianity
Chennai, Jan 28
Senior Indian Administrative
Service (IAS) officer C. Umashankar is looking at legal options to
challenge a government directive forbidding him from preaching
Christianity.
"I am looking at legal options. I have to discuss with my lawyers first," Umashankar told IANS Wednesday.
According
to him, the government's directive suppresses his constitutional right
to speech and freedom to practice and preach religion.
The Tamil
Nadu government recently ordered Umashankar to stop addressing meetings
where he preaches Christianity, as it would result in communal
disharmony and disturb the public order.
The government warned him of disciplinary action if he failed to abide by its directive.
Umashankar said he has stopped addressing meetings following the government directive.
Questions
are also being raised by Dalit organisations as to whether Umashankar, a
Dalit, has converted to Christianity and, if so, when and where.
"Umashankar
has not spelt out clearly whether he has officially converted to
Christianity," Tada D. Periyasamy, a Dalit leader and founder trustee of
Nandanar Sevashrama Trust, told IANS over phone from Perambalur, around
280 km from here, Wednesday.
"Conversion to Christianity is a
non-issue. I am disciple of Christ. As per official records I am a
Hindu," Umashankar said, adding that he practices Christianity.
Periyasamy
said Umashankar, a Dalit by birth and in a high position, can preach
Christianity after getting converted to that faith.
"But being a Hindu IAS officer and preaching Christianity is not right. It is bad for the Dalit community," Periyasamy said.