COMMISSION FOR SCHEDULED CASTES/TRIBES AND BACKWARD CLASSES (OF THE CATHOLIC BISHOP'S CONFERENCE OF INDIA)

News Letter

SUB : DEMAND FOR EQUAL RIGHTS TO DALIT CHRISTIANS

July 11, 1997

All the Members of the Hierarchy,

Your Eminence/ Grace/ Excellency,

Golden Jubilee of Independence is going to be celebrated all over India and we are happy to be in free India. However one group of the oppressed people, Dalit Christians are deprived of their due equal rights and they are being discriminated since 1950. The successive Govemment have failed to fulfill their own assurance in rendering justice.

While thanking the Lord and leaders for the precious gift of freedom, we are also bound to remind the political leaders of their commitment to justice and secularism. Hence, the commission requests all the heads of the Churches, Regional, Diocesan bodies to urge the State Chief Ministers, Political Leaders and MPs, for the introduction of the required bill during monsoon session of the Parliament to render justice to Dalit Christians in the 50th Year of our Independence. Kindly communicate this message to the people inspiring them to pray and to demand justice.

With Hope

   Yours Gratefully

(Fr S. Lourduswamy)

Executive Secretary