ICC Note:
Low caste Christians belonging to the dalit caste are demanding equal rights and are threatening to hold a nationwide demonstration. In India, low caste Hindus, Buddhists, and Sikhs receive special benefits from the government due to their low caste heritage. Low caste Christians and Muslims have been denied these benefits for years creating inequality. Some Christians claim this is done purposely to keep many low caste individuals from converting to Christianity or Islam which many Hindu nationalists in India view as anti-India.
2/1/2016 India (Times of India) – With elections round the corner, dalit Christians have reiterated their demand for bringing them under the scheduled caste category. Terming the delay an injustice to them, the National Council of Dalit Christians (NCDC) gathered in Trichy on Sunday to discuss a plan to hold a rally in New Delhi in March this year.
The NCDC organised the meeting of dalit Christians from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in Trichy to register their frustration over the failure of the state and central governments in considering their demand. This will be a precursor to their nationwide rally in the national capital on March 10.
The main agenda of the meeting was to press the Centre to implement the recommendation of the Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission of 2007. The Centre formed the panel after it accepted the demand of the council in 2005. The NCDC said the commission had recommended that dalit Christians be made SC or considered as SC. NCDC national advisor E D Charles blamed both Congress and the BJP for not implementing the recommendation.
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