June 16, 2011
Churches in India have called for a three-day hunger strike and a rally to Parliament next month to press for Scheduled Caste status for dalit Christians and Muslims.
The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) has called for a hunger strike from July 25-27 culminating in a march to Parliament on July 28 in support of their demand.
Dalit adhikaaron ko haan bolo! Dilli Chalo! (say yes to Dalit rights, go to Delhi) is the call sent out by the National Coordination Committee for Dalit Christians (NCCDC) and the National Council for Dalit Christians (NCDC), the organizers of the protest.
It is a matter of great concern for the Church in India that its own people who belong to the dalit community are denied Scheduled Caste status, the NCCI statement said.
NCCI along with Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) and NCDC have taken many initiatives but now realize its imperative to step on the gas to achieve the goal, it said.
Denying reservation merely on the basis of religion is a serious violation of the Constitution and its principles of Secularism and Freedom of Religion, the NCCI said.
Christians of Scheduled Caste Origin (CSCO) have been seeking the right for equal Constitutional provisions on par with dalits of the country.
The campaign coordinators have obtained the letters of support for the cause from major political parties except BJP.
Prominent Dalit leaders Mayawati and Ramvilas Paswan have written to the Prime Minister strongly supporting reservation to dalit Christians and Muslims.
The statement said it is quite clear that it is not the Constitutional mandate but the lack of genuine political will that is denying Christian Dalits, SC status.
The campaign coordinators have requested the bishops, heads of the Churches, Christian institutions, clergy and lay people to participate in the proposed hunger strike and rally.
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