http://www.zeenews.com/news693072.html
Scheduled caste benefits to dalit Christians, Muslims looked into: PM
Updated on Sunday, March 13, 2011, 19:08
New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said the issue of
extending scheduled caste benefit to dalit Christians and dalit
Muslims is being "seriously looked", according to a Mumbai-based
Christian body whose members met him on Saturday.
"On extending SC benefit to dalit Christians and Muslims, the Prime
Minister said the same was being seriously looked at and a consensus
was sought to be achieved. Once this was done, the Supreme Court would
be intimated," a release by the Catholic Secular Forum (CSF) said.
The Mumbai-based organisation had on Saturday led a delegation to the
Prime Minister.
Members of the delegation included the Archbishop Vincent Concessao of
Delhi, Justice Michael Saidanha, CSF general secretary Joseph Dias and
President of the Truth Seekers International Sunil Sardar.
Archbishop Vincent Concessao told the Prime Minister that the
government needed to act soon on the issue of the SC status to dalit
Christians and Muslims as dithering on its part was being viewed
negatively by the minorities.
"The Supreme Court is expected to hear a key case, when it expects the
government to give its opinion on a challenge to Paragraph 3 of
Article 341 of the Constitution (Scheduled Caste Order) 150.
"More than dozen individuals and advocates including dalit Christians
and Muslims have joined the case, which has has had numerous hearings
and delays since early 2004," the release said.
The CSF said that the government already has enough political support
on the issue with Chief Ministers of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil
Nadu publicly urging the Centre to restore dalit Christians' rights.
Rangnath Mishra Commission, which suggested, steps to improve the
socio-economic conditions of minorities, has also favoured giving SC
status to dalit Christians and dalit Muslims.
"Prime Minister Manmohan Singh listened patiently to the delegation
and assured Christians that the country was indebted to the community
for its social services, which greatly surpassed its minuscule numbers
as a micro reality...he also said he would all in his capacity to
allay the fears and insecurities, the Christians were experiencing,"
the release said.
The delegation had discussed three issues with the Prime Minister
including the long standing demand for extending SC status to dalit
Christians and Muslims, the rise of anti-Christian violence in
Karnataka and Orissa and the demolition of the Mumbai Crosses and
religious structures as per the Supreme Court directives.
The CSF said that the Prime Minister was concerned about the
deteriorating law and order situation coupled with the rising
communalism in Karnataka and Orissa.
The Prime Minister said he would ask Home Minister P Chidamabram to
look into the reports of violence against Christian communities coming
from states, it said.
PTI
INFORMATION OVERLOAD?
Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to ZESTMedia-digest@yahoogroups.com, OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/
PARTICIPATE:-
On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to zestcaste@yahoogroups.com
TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:-
If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to ZESTCaste-subscribe@yahoogroups.com OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/
Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/
No comments:
Post a Comment