Dalit Christians Bare Plight
News From Indian Express (Press Trust of India)
October 4, 1997 (?)
NEW DELHI, OCT 4: Dalit Christians attempted to bring to light the atrocities being committed against them, especially in backward areas of the country and also petitioned the Government for equal rights and job reservations.
"Despite being fully aware of the inhuman conditions in which they subsist, government continues to delay extension of equal rights to Dalit Christians,'' the organistion said in a memorandum to President K R Narayanan, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Home Minister L K Advani yesterday.
Questioning the constitutional validity of presidential order of 1950 on the status of Dalit Christians, the memorandum said "the order is highlydiscriminatory and violative of Articles 14, 15, 16 and 25 of the Constitution and Article 18 of universal declaration of human rights laws by the United Nations.''
Blaming successive governments for their false assurances on extending reservation to Dalit Christians the memorandum claimed that all the backwardclass commissions including theMandal Commission had "proved beyond doubt that a change of religion does not bring about any change in the status of the untouchable converts.''
Christian community in the country was utterly dismayed at the inordinate delay in rendering justice to them despite airing their grievances through various agitations, the memorandum said. It further added that Christians were often becoming victim of violence in many parts of the country.