Christians and Muslims Jointly Demand Equal Rights and Review of Presidential Order of 1950.  

Christians and Muslims came together in large numbers today, Monday 30^th April 2007, at Ram Lila Grounds in Delhi and demanded SC status for Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims and delinking of religion in granting SC status.  The rally was jointly organised by the All India United Muslim Morcha, Dalit Muslim Liberation Movement and the National Coordination Committee for Dalit Christians.  

Rev.Dr. Enos Das Pradhan, the General Secretary, Church of North India Synod and Chairman, NCCI Commission on Polity and National Governance, addressing the rally referred to the Presidential Order of 1950 whereby the Dalits belonging to the religious minorities were not eligible for SC status and thereby were denied the structural instruments as reservation for their empowerment.  Dr. Pradhan demanded that the government of India should review the discriminatory Presidential order of 1950 and grant SC status on basis of the social and economic disabilities experienced by Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims due to the consequences of Caste-based discriminations.  

Hon’ble Maulana Mahmood Madani, M P and General Secretary Jamiatul-ulema-Hind flagged off the rally to Parliament Street where Mr.D. Raja, National Secretary, Communist Party of India, Hon’ble. Brinda Karat, Member of the Politburo of CPI(M) and Member of the Rajya Sabha, Hon’ble Saleem Mohomed MP of CPI(M) also addressed the gathering and expressed support to the rights of Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims.   

The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) Commission on SC/ST and the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) Delhi office coordinated the mobilisation of Christians in the city for participation in the rally on behalf of the National Coordination Committee for Dalit Christians.  NCCI Commission on Dalits and Adivasis (COD) also extended support towards organising the rally.