Indian Church leads hunger strike for Christian and Muslim ‘outcastes’
Archbishop Vincenzo Concessao of New Delhi, is one of 60 bishops leading a hunger
strike in favour of the rights of Christian and Muslim Dalits, still considered outcastes
in Indian society.“There are over one thousand people currently on hunger strike in central New Delhi to demand the government include them in the Scheduled Castes, and guarantee them the same rights as the Dalit Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh”, says Fr. Cosmon Arokiaraj
Executive Secretary, Indian Bishop’s Commission for SC/ST/BC, (the overall development of the Dalits, Tribals and Backward Classes). He is one the organisers of the three day hunger strike.
The protest will culminate on Thursday July 28th, when an estimated 10 thousand from all across India are expected to march on parliament joined by bishops, other religious leaders, as well as Christian and Muslim faithful and human rights activists.
The fight for equal rights for Christian and Muslim Dalits has been going on since 1950 when parliament adopted Article 3 of the constitution, which recognises Scheduled Castes. Based on such constitutional principle, the government has granted specific economic, educational and social rights for Hindu Dalits. In 1956 and 1990, the same rights were granted to Buddhist and Sikh Dalits. Listen to Emer McCarthy’s interview with Fr. Arokiaraj:
| All the contents on this site are copyrighted ©. |