Thousands of children, like this little boy, have a chance to escape oppression through GFA's Bridge of Hope program. (Photo courtesy of GFA)
The man had filed a case against a newspaper for defamation after it falsely accused him of murder, said KP Yohannan with Gospel for Asia.
The lower court judge ruled against the man, saying, "You are Dalit; you have no reputation anyway, so don't worry about it," Yohannan explained. "Thank God, this went to the higher court, and they said this is absolutely a violation of human rights, and a verdict was given in his favor."
Yohannan hopes that this case will set a precedent for thousands of cases involving Dalits. "This is one of the rare times that a higher court said, 'No, you cannot abuse these people. They are human beings; they are not like animals,'" Yohannan said. "I think this is going to become an example...for tens of thousands of cases all over the country that are filed, but no justice is given to these Dalits."
The Dalits comprise the lowest caste in India's caste system, as well as almost a quarter of India's population. Illiteracy and societal rejection trap over 250 million people in severe poverty. They have no access to food, housing, clothing, education or health care.
Although India's legal system no longer maintains the caste system, in reality the caste system continues to function. Bonded labor is prevalent among the Dalits, and even among their children. 180 million Indian children are trapped in a lifestyle of child labor.
"These kids from age 4 and 5 work morning to night for 10, 11 cents a day... They are the children of the Dalits," Yohannan said. "And unless they get educated and liberated and understand that they are human beings with rights, I think the future of this nation is in such a huge crisis."
Gospel for Asia is working to help the Dalits. It has 42,000 children enrolled in its Bridge of Hope program, which provides Christian education, medical care, school uniforms, and a daily meal for them. Yohannan believes this work is very important.
"Jesus deeply, deeply cares about the poor and the suffering," he said. "And I think often we forget that God's judgment came upon a nation, upon a people, when they did wrong to the innocent and the children and helpless."
The court's decision encourages Yohannan that the country is changin, and that there is a future for those children. "God is working behind the scene for the Dalits, I believe," he said.
You can help bring freedom to the Dalits by sponsoring a child in Bridge of Hope.
