 By Tarique Anwar, TwoCircles.net
Patna : Muslim and Christain bodies came on a common platform on Sunday in support of their demand for according scheduled caste status to Dalits in their communities and castigated the Union Government for turning a blind eye to the issue.
Dalit Muslims and Christains jointly organised ' Adhikar Conference' (rights conference) in Patna at S.K Memorial Hall in support of their very old demand of removing various restrictions on their reservation under Article 341 of Indian Constitution.
“It is high time that UPA Government should accord SC status to Muslim Dalits and Christains Dalits by removing the restriction of reservation for them under Article 341,� M.Ejaz Ali, President of All India United Muslim Morcha, said in his address.
Ali said “ It is bound to give a new direction to socio-economic empowerment of Muslim and Christain Dalits.�
He stated that this conference is a “new start� for rights of both the communities.
M.Ejaz Ali, who himself a Muslim Dalit, asked about the seriousness of the Central Government for accepting the recommendations of the Sachar Committee and Rangnathan Committee related to granting schedule caste status to Dalits of both the communities.
“The UPA Government accepted almost all recommendations of the Sachar Committee on May 18 last, but it deferred the decision on according SC status to Muslim Dalits till the reciept of Rangnathan Committee report, which studied the condition of of religious and linguistic minorities in the country,� Dr. Ali, a medical surgeon lamented.
“It appears that the intention of the UPA Government on this issue is not fair,� Ali said, adding the centre was mysteriously keeping mum even after the reciept of Rangnathan Commission on May 21 last, which had also recommended according to SC status to Dalits in Muslims and Christains.
Leader of National Council of Dalit Christains from Tamil Nadu, Franklin Searzer and Father A.X.J Bosco, Secretary of Bishop Conference Andhra Pradesh, were among the chief guest of the conference.
“Our demand will be strengthenedwith this,� Bosco said in his speech.
A large number of men and women of Muslim and Christain Dalit community attended the conference.