Dalit Christian Long March

Long March for Equal Rights to Dalit Christians

Kanyakumari to Chennai

2010 February 10^th to March 5^th

Subject: Request to urge the Union Government of India to implement the Report of NCRLM r, particularly to the Additional Term of Reference and to give a positive reply to the Supreme Court on Writ Petition 180/2004, to delete paragraph 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order 1950.

The Scheduled Castes in India are given Scheduled Caste status to overcome the social, educational and economical backwardness. However, paragraph 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) 1950 deprives Christians and Muslims of Scheduled Caste Origin the Scheduled Caste status.

The issue of Christians and Muslims of Scheduled Caste Origin was referred to the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities (NCRLM) or the Ranganath Misra Commission by the Union Government of India. It was done in the context of the Writ Petition 180/2004 and other petitions in the Supreme Court and the Counsel informed the Supreme Court about this on the 28^th November 2005.

The NCRLM report was tabled in the Parliament on 18^th December 2009. The important recommendations regarding the paragraph 3 of the Constitution of Scheduled Castes Origin are:

“…we recommend that Para 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order 1950 –which originally restricted the Scheduled Caste net to the Hindus and later opened it to Sikhs and Buddhists, thus still excluding from its purview the Muslims, Christians, Jains and Parsis, etc.- should be wholly deleted by appropriate action so as to completely de-link the Scheduled Caste status from religion and make the Scheduled Castes net fully religion-neutral like that of the Scheduled Tribes.” (16.3.5)

“We further recommend that all those groups and classes among the Muslims and Christians, etc. whose counterparts among the Hindus, Sikhs or Buddhists, are included in the Central or State Scheduled Castes lists should also be covered by the Scheduled Caste net. If any such group or class among the Muslims and Christians, etc. is now included in an OBC list, it should be deleted from there while transferring it to the Scheduled Castes-placing the same persons in the Scheduled Caste list if they are Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist but in the OBC list if they follow any other religion-which is the case in many States –in our opinion clearly amounts to religion-based discrimination.” (16.3.6)

On the 23^rd January 2008, the Additional Solicitor General sought eight weeks to take a decision on the issues raised in the Writ Petitions. From 23^rd January 2008 onwards, the Case has been posted number of times in such a way that it could not come for hearing. Now more than one and half years have passed. Justice is delayed due to the postponement of Union Government’s decision to give a reply to the Supreme Court. The next hearing is scheduled in January 2010.

Long March is to

• To urge the Union Government of India to give an appropriate answer to the query of the Supreme Court to the Writ Petitions demanding deletion of the unjust paragraph 3 of the Constitution Scheduled Castes Order 1950 and to extend Scheduled Caste status to Christians and Muslims of Scheduled Caste origin.

Long March program:

10^th February 10 am kanyakumari

Place of stay at night

11^th February Nanguneri

12^th February Palayamkottai

13^th February Vadakku Achampatti

14^th February Sanakaran Koil

15^th February Rajapalayam

16^th February Nathampatti

17^th February Sundara Nachiapuram

18^th February Madurai Public meeting

19^th February Vadippatti

20^th February Dindigul

21^st February Ayyalur

22^nd February Manapparai

22-02-10 Monday 6 am Thangamaapatti Welcome

Nadupatti Break fast

Vayampatti Lunch

6 pm Mapapparai Public campaign

23^rd February Tiruchi Public meeting

23-02-10 Tuesday 8 am Maravanur Breakfast

Ammapettai Vilakku Lunch

4 pm Korai river bridge Welcome

6 pm Puthur 4 Road,

Trichy Public meeting

24^th February Siruganur

25^th February Perambalur

26^th February Thozhudur

27^th February Ulundurpettai

27-02-10 Saturday 8.am Veppur Break fast

Ulundurpettao Lunch

Kedilam Night stay

28^th February Maranodai

28-02-10 Sunday Madappattu Break fast

Arasur Lunch

6 pm Villupuram Public meeting

1^st March Vikravandi

1-3-10 Monday Vikravandi Break fast

Kooteripattu Lunch

5 pm Tindivanam Public meeting

Saaram Night Stay

2nd March Tindivanam

2-3-10 Tuesday 11 am Thozhuppedu Welcome by VG team

Acharappakkam Lunch

Maduranthagam Night stay

Padaalam Break fast

Chegleput Lunch

3^rd March Chenglput

Marai Malai Nagar Night Stay

Oorappakkam Break fast

Perungalathur Lunch

Chrompet Snacks

Pallavaram Night Stay

4^th March Pallavaram

Mount Road Break fast

5^th March Chennai Public meeting

For Details Contact

The Secretary,

TNBC Commission for SC/ST

Trichy - 620 001

Phone : +91-431-2481981

Number of visitors so far






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