Respected Moderator/Bishop/General
Secretary/Executive Secretary/Director/Executive committee member of NCCI/General
body member of NCCI,
Greetings from the National Council of Churches in India!
We are writing this mail to humbly request you to proactively participate in observing the ‘Black Day’ on 10th of August 2014 to raise our protest about the continual negligence of the authorities to the cry for equal rights of Dalit Christians.
The infamous
Constitution (Scheduled Caste) order 1950 was signed on 10th August 1950 by the
then President of India which says that
“No person who professes a religion other than Hinduism shall be deemed to be a member of the Scheduled Caste” which was later amended to include Sikhs (1956) and Buddhists (1990) in the Scheduled Caste net. But this law, as you are well aware, keeps the Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians from the fold of Scheduled caste list.
“No person who professes a religion other than Hinduism shall be deemed to be a member of the Scheduled Caste” which was later amended to include Sikhs (1956) and Buddhists (1990) in the Scheduled Caste net. But this law, as you are well aware, keeps the Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians from the fold of Scheduled caste list.
The member churches and organisation of NCCI are requested to
wear black badges on that day in their church/ organisation
to show your solidarity with this protest. Posters are sent to the member
bodies of NCCI to be placed on notice boards in order to highlight more public
attention.
Since August
10th is a Sunday in this year, it would be appropriate to focus on the concern in the sermon and in the intercessory prayers during the worship, or to organize a day of fasting and prayer, or any other appropriate programme in the local
churches. This day could also be observed in church offices, institutions, etc., on 11th August. Meetings, rallies, demonstrations, hunger
fasts, submitting memoranda, candle vigils or other forms of demonstrations
could be organized in your area to show support and solidarity with the
suffering Christians of Scheduled Caste Origin. Please make use of
the media, especially the social media to spread the news in the society.
We shall be grateful if you send a couple of photos and a brief report of the observance of this day of protest to
the NCCI email id (ncci@nccindia.in).
With prayers
Rev. Sunil Raj Philip,
Executive Secretary, Commission on Dalits,
National Council of Churches in India
Cell: +91 8275045182
Email: revsunilrajphilip@gmail.com
Mrs. Ramani Ramya Krupa,
Chairperson, Commission on Dalits,
National Council of Churches in India
National Council of Churches in India
Cell: +91 8275045182
Email: revsunilrajphilip@gmail.com
Mrs. Ramani Ramya Krupa,
Chairperson, Commission on Dalits,
National Council of Churches in India
