States »SoutPosted at: Aug 10 2021 5:10PM

CSI demands repeal of 70-year-old Prez Ordinance, bats for inclusion of dalit christians in SC category

Chennai, Aug 10 (UNI) The Church of South India (CSI) Diocese of Madras,
the Bishop and the millions of congregants on Tuesday demanded the Union
Government and the Tamil Nadu government to accept the long pending plea
of dalit christians and repeal the 1950 Presidential Ordinance discriminating
them on the basis of religion and included them under the SC category.
"We demand that the August 10, 1950 Presidential Ordinance, which discriminates
on the basis of religion and denies their right to be included in the Schedule
Caste, be repealed immediately", CSI.Madras Diocese, Secretary, Rev. Dr.Manuel
S.Titus.
Talking to reporters on the eve of the 71st year of Ordinance, which was promulgated
by President on August 10, 1950, Dr Manuel Titus said the Indian Churches has been
observing this day as a Black Day for the last 70 years as it affected the fundamental
rights of the dalit christians and Muslims.
He also said the dalit christians should be included under the Schedule Caste
category and all the benefits under it should be extended to them.
Appealing to the ruling BJP at the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to restore
the rights of the Dalit Christians and uphold democratic values, equality, secularism,
social justice, religious harmony and gender justice in India, he also urged all the
Members of Parliament to raise their voices in support of this single demand of Dalit
Christians.
''We also appeal to all the Members of Parliament from Tamil Nadu to raise their voices
in Parliament to restore the rights of the Dalit Christians who are discriminated on the
basis of religion for over 70 years", he said and urged Chief Minister M.K.Stalin, the
protector of Social Justice, to find a solution to the long pending demand of Dalit
Christians.
UNI GV 1708