Delhi : demonstration against Dalit ‘Via Crucis’ ready to go

ICC Note

“It is a great injustice that one part of society should be marginalised on grounds of birth and religion. It is an open sore on the body of the whole nation, which cannot continue its economic development whilst preserving such practices.”

03/15/2010 India (AsiaNews)-Christian Dalits face “an endless Via Crucis and I am honoured to take part in it. Christianity teaches that there should be no discrimination, but the situation of Indian society, which is defined by its caste system, is sadly different. Economic development cannot continue when some people are ostracised,” Mgr Neethinathan, bishop of Chinglepet, told AsiaNews as he spoke of the big demonstration scheduled to take place this afternoon in Delhi .

More than 10,000 Dalits, brought together by the National Council of Dalit Christians (NCDC) and the All India Basmantha Muslim Mahaj, will march through the streets of the Indian capital to ask the government to implement the report released by the Ranganatha Misra Commission, which recommends granting Christian and Muslim Dalits scheduled caste status and responding affirmatively to the suit currently before the Apex (Supreme) Court.

“Dalit represents three quarters of India ’s 25 million Christians,” the prelate said. “It is a great injustice that one part of society should be marginalised on grounds of birth and religion. It is an open sore on the body of the whole nation, which cannot continue its economic development whilst preserving such practices.”