MPPI launches signature campaign in support of Dalit Christians

Chennai – The newly launched Minorities Progressive Party of India (MPPI) has launched a signature campaign throughout Tamil Nadu on January 14 in support of the demand for the Scheduled Caste (SC) status of the Dalit Christians.

According to Ambedkar Priyan, the MPPI founder and president, the aim of MPPI, is to get at least ten million signatures and submit the same before India’s apex court, the Supreme Court of India, and the Minorities Commission.

He said that his party would also demand a separate reservation for Muslim minorities.

Mr. Priyan has also urged the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Ms. J. Jayalithaa to establish a separate Welfare Board for Christians on the lines of Wakf Board.

Though the launch of the signature campaign has been welcomed by many Christian leaders, yet, some like John Dayal, secretary general, All India Christian Council (AICC) question the effectiveness of plans that are religion–centered.

Speaking to AsiaNews, an Italy–based Catholic news agency, he said that supported any “any forum that lobbies for Dalit rights irrespective of religion,” but had “reservations about political parties that are based on religion, including those with a Christian tag.”

“Unlike the Akali Dal of the Sikhs, or even the Muslim party in Hyderabad, our [Christian] demographic distribution would ensure that we would not have our own political party,” he explained.

According to him, “setting up Christian political parties or groupings is bound to be counterproductive from a political point of view” and would not help much to “defend Christian rights and influence the political process.”

“Instead,” he stressed, “it would be better for Christians to become engaged in different groups in civil society. Fighting discrimination against Christian Dalits would benefit from gathering support from non Christian Dalits and other Backward Class groups.”