NCDC and NCCDC met UPA Chairperson Mrs. Sonia Gandhi

New Delhi, November 01, 2011: The delegates of National Council of Dalit Christians (NCDC) and National Coordination Committee for Dalit Christians (NCCDC), a joint program of Catholic Bishops’ conference of India (CBCI) and National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) met Honourable Chairperson of UPA, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi on the issue of Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims.

Fr. Cosmon Arokiaraj, representing the CBCI Commission for SC/BC briefed about the recent developments and said, “The Union Government of India gave assurance to the Supreme Court in January 2008 that it would give a reply within eight weeks. Three years have elapsed and till date no reply has been given. Hence, there is a strong feeling among Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims that UPA itself is not willing to reply to the Supreme Court. Even though both Muslim and Christian communities have been continuously with the Congress in all its ups and downs, our people now are getting disillusioned by the repeated failed promises.” Mr. Samuel Jeyakumar, Secretary, NCCI Commission for Policy, Governance and Public Witness  observed that  acceptance of the social economic and educational backwardness of Dalit Christians in the 1996 Bill proposed by the then Congress Government.

Fr. Selva Director of Dalit Unit, Indian Social Institute pointed out the promises given in the Election Manifestos of the Congress Party in 1996 and 2004 to extend Scheduled Caste status to Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims. Mr. Raju, the Administrative Officer of NCCI Office in Delhi submitted the supportive letters of political parties written to the Prime Minister. Mr. Franklin Caesar, National Coordinator of National Council of Dalit Christians pointed out that linking Dalit Christian and Dalit Muslim issue with the caste census is nothing but a delaying tactics of the Union Government to postpone the decision and hence the positive intervention is required from UPA chairperson. The UPA Chairperson gave an assurance that she would go through the memorandum and carefully consider the issues raised by the delegation and act accordingly. The delegation would continue to work closely with the different Muslim organisations to obtain the goal.

– Fr. G. Cosmon Arokiaraj
Executive Secretary,
CBCI Commission for SC/ST/BC