2011-07-28 13:27:48

More Groups Support the demand of Dalit Christians for Scheduled Caste Status


(July 28, 2011) The National United Christian Forum, comprising of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India, National Council of Churches in India and Evangelical Fellowship of India, expressed its strong support on Wednesday to the just demand of the Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims who are on hunger strike from 25th-28th July, 2011 at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. This protest is meant to reiterate the demand for obtaining Scheduled Caste Status to Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims. Christians and Muslims of Scheduled Caste Origin, also called Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims have been asking for equal Constitutional rights on a par with their fellow Dalit brothers and sisters. This exclusion of people of Scheduled Caste Origin who adhere to religions other than Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism from their fundamental rights has caused great concern and has been debated from the very beginning of its promulgation. The Justice Ranganath Misra Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities under the UPA government itself has endorsed that the Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims should be included in the Scheduled Caste Status and be given the same benefits as their counterparts in other religions. Similarly, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and National Commission for Minorities have also sent their recommendations in favour of Christian and Muslim Dalits. The struggle for Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims has also received support from several political parties including members from the Congress Party.








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