Delegation presses Moily on SC status for Dalit Christians

A delegation of Catholic and Protestant leaders on April 13 met Law Minister M Veerappa Moily pressing for action on the implementation of Ranganath Mishra Commission Report (NCRLM Report) that recommended extending SC status to Dalit Christians and Muslims.

Representatives of National Coordination Committee for Dalit Christians (NCCDC), a joint programme of the CBCI and NCCI, apprised Moily on the "pain and agony" the delay had caused despite the NCRLM report submitted to the Prime Minister in May 2007.

The report prepared by former Chief Justice of India, Ranganath Mishra, asserts that discrimination of Dalits who convert from Hinduism to Christianity or Islam is unwarranted and goes against articles 14, 15 and 25 of the Constitution of India.

The same delegation had met the minister earlier in November 2009 and requested that government table the NCRLM report in the Parliament and also file their response in the PIL pending before the Supreme Court.

The PIL was filed in the year 2004. Despite repeated assurances from government, no reply has been filed in the PIL till date and as a result it has been adjourned to July 2010.

The Law Minister emphasised and informed representatives of CBCI Fr. Cosmon Arokiaraj and from NCCI Ms. Anjna Masih that the decision has to be taken by the Union Cabinet.

Meanwhile, a Dalit Christians' conference was held in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, during which Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat strongly condemned the social discrimination against Christians and Muslims.

Karat hailed the role of Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi in demanding the implementation of NCRLM report by sending a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and asked if DMK Ministers at the Centre would do the same.

Members of Tamil Nadu Untouchability Eradication Front would stage a statewide demonstration in all district headquarters May 6 to demand SC status to Christians and Muslims.