Religious leaders demand justice for Dalit Christians and Muslims

President of the Dalit Muslim Christian Federation, Father Solomon George, addressing a joint press conference in the capital, urged the Indian Government to amend the Article 341 of the Constitution providing reservation to Dalit Christians and Muslims who have been deprived of their rights.

Joining Fr George was the secretary of Jamiat Ulama–e Hind, Maulana Abdul Hameed Nomani, who voiced the struggles of Dalits, demanding the Supreme
Court to direct Union government regarding reservation for Dalits.

Maulana Nomani said the Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission Report, submitted to the central government seven months ago, also supported reservation to Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims.

He debunked the wrong notions of the 1950 presidential ordinance, which extended support to the Dalit Sikhs and Buddhists except that Dalit Christians and Muslims don’t belong to the category.

The religious leaders urged not to consider religion important for the social status of the Dalits and to provide equal justice to the people.

“Dalit Christians and Muslims must be provided with all rights and benefits enjoyed by the Dalit Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists,” asserted the leaders.

Although the report of Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission, last year, agreed and declared Dalit Christians as Scheduled Castes, the government is yet to confirm and promote justness to uplift the Dalits from the downtrodden state.

An estimated 70 percent of India's 26 million Christians belong to the socially discriminated Dalit groups, who need social and educational support to integrate to the mainstream of society.