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NEWS &
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FEATURES |
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AICC
WELCOMES AP RESOLUTION SUPPORTING DALIT
CHRISTIANS |
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The All India Christian
Council on Thursday welcomed the resolution adopted by
the Andhra Pradesh Assembly seeking SC status for Dalit
Christians.
Thanking former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, the
Council hailed the resolution as an “undoing of a
historical error on the Dalits and on their freedom of
choice and conscience.”
The resolution – adopted by the Assembly on 25 August –
strongly solicits the Centre to cede SC status for
Christians from Dalit community.
“This Houses resolves to request the Centre to amend the
Constitution for extending SC status to Dalit Christians
so that they can enjoy the same equal political rights
and socio-economic and educational benefits as all other
SCs,” the resolution states.
According to the 1950 Constitutional Order, SC
privileges are to be received only by those who profess
Hinduism. It later included Sikhs and Buddhists but not
Christians.
“In the definition of the United Nations the suggested
description of a Dalit is, a person facing a “descent”
and “work based” discrimination. This truly applies to
the Dalits that adopt Christianity or Islam as much as
those Dalits following other faiths,” aicc said.
The Council thanked leader of the opposition Chandra
Babu Naidu, Praja Rajyam President K. Chiranjeevi,
Telangana Rashtra Samiti floor leader E. Rajender, CPI
(M) member Julakanti Ranga Reddy and CPI member
Sambasiva Rao, for supporting the resolution.
Although the majority supported the move, there were
still dissidents who opposed the resolution.
Lok Satta Chief Jayaprakash Narayan said the resolution
would jeopardize the rights of Dalits as the 15 percent
reservation will be shared between SCs and Dalit
Christians.
Responding to his comments, the aicc said, “Mr. Narain,
is sadly ill- informed and had made untrue and
provocative statements against the wishes of the Dalit
leaders around the state. “
BJP state President and former union minister Bandaru
Dattatreya also slammed the resolution adopted by the
government.
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This page
is updated on Sep 18, 2009 |
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PRAISE THE ALMIGHTY
10 YEARS CELEBRATION
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