Mangaluru: Demanding the amendment of Constitutional Order of 1950 (Scheduled Caste) to include Dalit Christians also in the Scheduled Caste list, The Social and Media Committee of the Mangalore Diocesan Pastoral Parishad organised a demonstration near DC office here on August 10.
Organisers in the demonstration also stated that The Catholic Bishop’s Conference(CBCI) of India, New Delhi office for SC/BC observes August 10 as “BLACK DAY” to protest against the “unjust” Constitutional Order 1950 which excludes Dalit Christians from the SC list on the basis of religion. It can be recalled that the Constitutional Order 1950 (Scheduled Caste) was amended in 1956 to include the Sikhs and in 1990 to include the Buddhists.
Saint Mary’s Kalyanapur College Principal Dr. Vincent Alva Said, ” ‘If yes for them, why not for us?’ is the question asked today all over India on behalf of the Dalit Christians regarding their exclusion from the SC list and that is the reason why August 10th is observed as Black Day. The constitutional rights are provided only for the Dalits should be equally given to Dalit Christians. The then President of India Babu Rajendra Prasad signed the Constitution Order 1950 because of which people coming under SC category are entitled to certain facilities which the SC Christians are deprived of, because of their faith. The Dalit Christians have been deprived of their rights since the past 67 years. Hence this should be amended.The SC facilities are extended to the Sikh and Buddhist communities but Christians and Muslims are kept out from this privilege. It is not injustice.”
Dennis Moras Prabhu, the Vicar General of the Diocese of Mangalore, in his message urged the Government of India to take up the issue as early as possible and do justice to the people who have been deprived of their rights for the last seven decades.
M P Noronha, reputed lawyer and the Secretary of Diocesan Pastoral Parishad said that exclusion of Dalit Christians from the SC list was violation of Article 14, 15, 19 and 25. “When the Scheduled Tribe don’t lose their status when religion is changed why the Scheduled Castes should be denied the same. The Constitutional Order 1950 was amended in 1990 to include the converts to Buddhism. Hence it is injustice to deny this privilege to the Dalits who embrace Christianity. According to Article 14, all Indians are equal. If that is so, why there is discrimination when it comes to Dalit Christians? It is injustice to deny privileges just because one changes the faith. We hear a lot about Uniform Civil Code. Now is the opportune time for the government to treat all Dalits equally irrespective of their faith. Hence the government should amend the Constitutional Order 1950 to include Dalit Christians in the list”, he said.
Fr. Onil D’Souza, the convener of Social and Media Committee of the Diocesan Pastoral Parishad gave brief introduction on the purpose of organising the demonstration and welcomed the dignitaries and the assembled people.
On the occasion, a memorandum was submitted to the deputy commissioner.
Fr. Peter Gonsalves, Assistant Director of St. Anthony’s Institutes, Jeppu compered the programme.
