First meeting of NIC held; Left, others extend support in Dalit Christian rights issue

New Delhi – In the first ever meeting of the newly reconstituted National Integration Council (NIC) on August 31, 2005, the issue of the rights of the Dalit Christians was raised in the presence of the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Ms. Sonia Gandhi, CPI(M) general secretary, Prakash Karat and several other political leaders of national and regional parties.

In a joint statement, NIC members Archbishop Vincent Concessao of Delhi, John Dayal, president All India Catholic Union (AICU) and general secretary, All India Christian Council (AICC) and Rev. Valson Thampu, member, National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions, Government of India, and member, National Steering Committee on Curriculum Review, NCERT, expressed their concerns over the plight of the 16 million Dalit Christians in India and urged the quick redressal of their grievances.

According to news sources, members of the Left parties, including CPI leader D. Raja, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat and his colleague and MP Sitaram Yechuri and several jurists supported the cause of the Dalit Christians.