[ZESTCaste] ‘Black day’ observed for Dalit status

http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/%E2%80%98black-day%E2%80%99-observed-for-dalit-status/205483.html

'Black day' observed for Dalit status

Express News Service

First Published : 10 Sep 2010 04:00:53 AM ISTLast Updated : 10 Sep
2010 09:14:31 AM IST

CHENNAI: A 'black day' was observed by the management and students of
the Loyola College demanding Scheduled Caste status for the Dalit
Christians and Muslims in accordance with the recommendations made by
the Ranganath Mishra Commission.

Speaking on the occassion, Fr Maria Joseph Mahalingam has said that it
was not fair to deny benefits of the Schedule Caste communities to
the Dalit Christians and Muslims. "This is a demand that has been made
continuously for 63 years. "The SC status was accorded to Dalit Sikhs
by Nehru in 1954 and to Dalit neo-Buddhists by VP Singh in 1990. So
why is this being denied to Christians and Muslims? "Why should a
Dalit who converts to these religions stop being seen as backward?"
asked Fr Mahalingam. Rev. AM Chinappa, Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore,
stressed the need for reservation to achieve equality in the society.

CPI state secretary D Pandian, who expressed solidarity with the cause
has promised that his party would take up the issue with Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh and in Parliament. About 300 students and
staff of the college held a march by shouting slogans and waving
placards.

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