03/17/2005, 00.00
INDIA
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PM Singh tells bishops minority and Christian Dalit rights will be protected

by Nirmala Carvalho

New Delhi (AsiaNews) – After heading a Christian delegation in a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mgr Vincent Concessao, Archbishop of Delhi, told AsiaNews that the Indian Catholic Church was hopeful that the status of Christians will improve. Prime Minister Singh assured the delegation that he would send a directive to Chief Ministers in states where minorities have been attacked asking them to act on the problem. Mr Singh also expressed his support for changes that would grant Christian Dalits the same rights as other Dalits.

Under Indian law in fact, quotas in the public service are reserved for Dalits (aka untouchables,  harijians, scheduled castes/ tribes), except for those who are Christian or Muslim.

The Christian delegation also gave the Prime Minister a dossier detailing all the recent cases of violence against the Christian minority in the country.

AsiaNews spoke to Archbishop Concessao about the meeting.

How did the PM take this document? Did he show concern?

The Prime Minister said he was worried about the atrocities perpetrated against minorities. As a Sikh himself, he belongs to a minority.

He assured me that he would send a directive to Chief Ministers in states where minorities have been attacked asking them to act on the problem.

Do you think anti-Christian violence will abate?

The Prime Minister clearly said Indian states are responsible for minority protection. If he means what he says, we have hope. And I think he is a sincere and honest person.

We can only pray that some good comes out of the meeting. It was a beginning.

Did the Prime Minister outline any concrete steps to ensure Christian Dalits' constitutional rights and protection under the law?

Singh said he was saddened by the fact that Christian Dalits were marginalised. He assured me that every measure will be taken to respect their rights.

He said that Christian Dalits have been oppressed for far too long; now they must be afforded the same benefits that the law provides to others.

With the Congress party in power, do you expect swifter investigations into anti-Christian violence?

The Prime Minister said that his government was committed to taking concrete steps to protect minorities, including investigating anti-Christian violence.

I told him that, for fundamentalists, Christians are soft targets, especially in rural areas.

How did you address the conversion issue with him?

I told Singh that conversion was a human rights issue. As a result of some people converting, Tribals and Christians are under constant attacks by fundamentalists who violate their human rights.

Singh pointed out that the founders of modern India included religious freedom in the constitution.

He acknowledged though that in practice this fundamental right is frequently violated. For this reason, he intends to rein in states at fault.

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