Civil society emerges out of altruism – small platoons of enthusiasts with the freedom and resolve to change things. Britain’s institutions and services all began with Victorian self-help groups. Schools, sewerage, charities for the blind, the sick, for orphans, lepers, stray dogs, all were pioneered by Christians. Yet, in Orissa, India’s poorest state to which we are en route, Christians are not regarded as Indian or even human. The worst massacre of Christians since Partition took place in Orissa on 23 August last year, under the orders, so it’s said, of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad – the World Hindu Movement – who claim Christians are ‘impure’, foreign. Most are dalit – literally ‘untouchable’. It is still a sin for a dalit – or outcaste’s – shadow to fall on a Brahmin. It is actually illegal in India for a dalit to convert to Christianity, and so escape this oppressive caste system. If they do, they lose numerous ‘privileges’ such as schooling, and job opportunities. In Orissa, 85 per cent of the population is officially dalit. Despite massive infrastructure development going on everywhere, India’s age-old hierarchicalism and massive, religiously-consolidated injustice is everywhere.
