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Reservation for Dalit Christians sought

Staff Reporter

Rally passes resolution demanding an end to "anti-Christian" regulations

NEW DELHI: A large number of Dalits took part in a rally organised by the All-India Confederation of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes Organisations and the All-India Christian Council at Jantar Mantar here on Monday to demand the benefits of reservation for Dalit Christians. The All-India Christian Council called upon the Government to ensure that development schemes for religious minorities did not bypass Dalit Christians merely because they did not form a vote bank and were not as politically powerful as the others.

All-India Confederation of SC/ST Organisation chairman Udit Raj pointed out that a large number of Hindu and Buddhist Dalits took part in the rally to show their solidarity with their Christian brothers and sisters. He said it belied the allegations made by certain sections that Hindu Dalits were opposed to the inclusion of Christians in the Scheduled Caste list.

Led by Mr. Udit Raj and Christian Council president Joseph D. Souza, the gathering passed a resolution demanding an end to "anti-Christian" regulations particularly in the States of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh where the Governments were functioning in a manner that violated Constitutional provisions safeguarding minority rights.

The speakers said even as the Government guaranteed the security of the minorities, instances of violence against Dalit Christians were on the rise in States like Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

On the economic, educational and development fronts, the Council said facilities like bank loans, land rights and other benefits and participation in Panchayati Raj should also be extended to the community.

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