New Delhi (AsiaNews) – John Dayal, an Indian human rights activists, is calling on Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, who is coming to India on an official visit, to ensure that the dalit,, also known as untouchables, also benefit from closer Italian-Indian economic ties.

From tomorrow till February 17, Italy's President will lead to New Delhi a large delegation that includes four cabinet ministers, the chairman of Italy's Industrialists' Association Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, as well as many leading businesspeople and top bankers.

Speaking to AsiaNews, Mr Dayal, who chairs the All India Catholic Union, an umbrella organisation for India's 16 million Catholics, is convinced that "the visit by the Italian head of state will bring the Italian people to India".

"Italy is well-known in India," he explained, "not only because of the religious link of many Catholics to Rome, but also because of Italy's literature, cinema and sports. At the same time, economic cooperation is very strong in the fields of technology, machine industry and aviation".

Mr Dayal, who is also secretary of the All India Christian Council, said: "I know that the Italian visit involves agreements in the information technology field. But I also urge Italian leaders who come to India seeking new markets to think about the dalit, especially Christian dalit, who are the poorest and most discriminated group in India society".

"I appeal to them to ensure that closer economic cooperation between India and Italy also brings concrete benefits to the dalit."

Talking about the campaign launched by AsiaNews and other Italian Catholic websites on behalf of Savio O'Connor, the Indian human rights activist said that in his work in favour of religious freedom in India and abroad, "he found support in some Italian media outlets which backed our campaign to free the Indian Christian unjustly imprisoned in Saudi Arabia. For their efforts, we thank all those who worked to free him".

Mr Dayal went on to say that "the Indian government has taken some steps in favour of hitherto discriminated religious minorities". Among them, he cites the 'National Integration Council' (NIC) of which he is now a member and which is mandated to fight caste and ethnic discrimination, as well as recent bills tabled in parliament to protect minorities.

"There are still cases of violence against Christians," he said, "but I hope the government will take the right steps to end such actions". (LF)