Monday, Oct 10, 2011
Survey of Dalit Christians suggested
By Babu Thomas
The All India Christian Council on Tuesday reiterated its demand for a
Sachar type survey to assess the socio-economic situation of
Christians in India, especially those from the Dalit and tribal
communities.
In a letter to the Minister for Minority Affairs Salman Khurshid, the
council's Secretary General John Dayal demanded for "collection and
collation" of data about Christians through a Prime Minister appointed
special committee on the pattern of the Sachar committee for Muslims.
Such a survey if included in the 12th Five Year Plan, will also help
identify pockets of want and deprivation in tribal areas, the sea
coast and among landless peasantry and agriculture labour, Dayal said.
"We await a genuine study to assess the socio-economic conditions of
Christians, specially in tribal areas of central and west India, the
'Cheris' and Dalit Bastis and villages of South India and Punjab, of
the fishermen and boatmen along the coast," the Christian leader
presented to Khurshid.
The Union minister was also reminded of other suggestions from
Christians for the 12th Five Year Plan that included scholarships;
construction of hostels for Dalit, tribal and rural Christians; grants
for opening minority schools; grants for Bible schools on the pattern
of assistance given to Sanskrit schools and madrasas; and assistance
to church and laity in setting up NGOs.
Besides suggestions for the 12th Five Year Plan, AICC's letter also
put spotlight on the plights of Christians in Kandhamal, which it said
remained a "matter of national shame in the denial of justice,
rehabilitation and reparations."
"Kandhamal is a blot on the national conscience. Three years after the
pogrom against Christians, justice remains a distant dream. Of the 21
murder cases tried in the Fast Track courts, there has not been a
single conviction for murder. In one case, there has been a conviction
– but for abduction. There is an urgent need for a Centre-State Task
Force for Kandhamal, Orissa. State authorities even now seem to be
acting as accomplices of the Sangh Parivar," Dayal said.
"More than 56,000 people of over 415 villages were rendered homeless.
They escaped death by hiding in the forests for days, and living in
government refugee camps for months. Till today, a third of the houses
remain un-built. A fourth of the refugees are still not back home,
living in slums or in other states out of fear. Rehabilitation, relief
and reparations are grossly insufficient, and have not reached all
victims."
"Of the more than 5,600 houses destroyed, only 3100 or so are built
with additional support of church and NGOs, while another 2500 yet to
be built. The Survey List of the Orissa Government for compensation
for homes damaged during the Communal Violence 2008 is not accurate,"
Dayal continued.
Stating that the compensation for damaged houses or churches was
grossly inadequate, the AICC leader demanded for immediate
intervention with separate packages for recovery and restoration.
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