The capital witnessed a second consecutive day of protest on the issue of reservation on Tuesday as thousands of Dalit Christians took out a ‘reservation protection rally’ to the Secretariat.
The rally, organised by the Council of Dalit Christians (CDC), raised the demand of 5% reservation for Dalit Christians in Union government recruitments and 4% reservation in the State. It also demanded 10% reservation for students of the community in higher education.
Inaugurating the rally, Church of South India (CSI) moderator Thomas K. Oommen said the discrimination of people based on their religious beliefs was violation of the Constitution.
The rally began from the Museum junction. People from various districts, including women and children, joined the rally.
“This is not merely a community issue but a church issue as 95% of Indian Christians are Dalit”, CSI Kollam-Kottarakara Bishop Oommen George said.
The CDC and church representatives later met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and submitted a memorandum of their demands. The representatives said the Chief Minister had agreed to look into their demands for quota.