Dalit Christians to stage protest at Ramlila before Parliament session

Cutting across denominational barriers, Christians will once again gather at the Ramlila grounds in Delhi to press for the constitutional rights of Christians from Scheduled Caste origins that has been denied for over 60 years.

On August 1, a Parliament March and dharna is being called by the National Council of Dalit Christians (NCDC), along with the Catholic Bishops Conference and the National Council of Churches.

"Just like last year, we are expecting a massive crowd to support us at the Ramlila grounds where we will hold a march. Before the march, we will hold a sit-in at Jantar Mantar, Delhi," said Franklin Caesar, national coordinator of NCDC.

Caesar said leaders from church organisations and various political outfits will back the march and dharna which seeks to protest the decades of barefaced discrimination followed by the Government.

One of the demands include the deletion of Para 3 of Constitution (Scheduled Caste) Order 1950 which renders Christians and Muslims ineligible for enjoying the benefits of affirmative action. Another significant demand is the implementation of recommendations contained in the Misra Commission report.

Tthe National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities, headed by Supreme Court Chief Justice Ranganath Misra, earlier asserted the de-linking of Scheduled Caste status from religion.

On the basis of Misra Commission recommendations, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and the National Commission for Minorities have filed their reply in the Supreme Court recommending the same.

Says Caesar, "Despite all the empirical evidences, the Congress-led UPA Government is unjustly and blatantly deviating from its commitment to file reply in the court and implement the Misra Commission report."

The first UPA Government had accepted and committed in its manifesto to resolve the issue, but "conveniently ignored and denied justice" in their tenure. The second UPA also has completely forgotten and neglected us, says Caesar.

The August 1 dharna is planned keeping in mind the monsoon session of the Parliament that is likely to be convened on August 7.

According to the National Council of Dalit Christians, discussions have been made with Members of Parliament and political parties and commitments secured from them to raise the issue strongly in the Parliament.

Last year, more than 10,000 people joined the march from Ramlila grounds to Parliament, including bishops, priests, activists, lay people and leaders from political parties.