If the Constitutional Order 1950 (Scheduled Caste) was amended in 1956 to include the Sikhs and in 1990 to include the Buddhists, then why not for Dalit Christians, questioned St Mary’s degree College Kallianpur Principal Dr Vincent Alva.
Addressing protesters at a protest meet organised by the Social and Media Committee of the Mangalore Diocesan Pastoral Parishad, in front of DC office here on Thursday, to demand amendment of Constitutional Order 1950 (Scheduled Caste) in order to include Dalit Christians also in the Scheduled Caste, Dr 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.”
Stating that 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, he said and demanded that they too should be included in this category. “The SC facilities are extended to the Sikh and Buddhist communities but Christians and Muslims are kept out from this privilege. Is it not injustice,” he questioned.
Diocesan Secretary and Advocate M P Noronha said rued that at a time when Uniform Civil Code is being talked about, how can the authorities discriminate Dalit Christians.
Diocese Vicar General Msgr Denis Moras Prabhu 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.
Soon after the Black Day demonstration, a memorandum was submitted to the DC to be forwarded to the president and prime minister.
The Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India (CBCI), 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.