Raipur: A two-day consultation of tribal and dalit activists was organised by the Office for Justice, Peace and Development – Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (OJPD-CBCI) in Raipur.
Some 60 Participants attended the March 11-12 consultation, which reminded the churches to work for justice, be in solidarity with the poor and the marginalized, work for rights and dignity to workers and link people to resources.
Archbishop Victor Henry Thakur of Raipur, Bishop Gerald Almeida of Jabalpur and the chairperson of OJPD-CBCI, and Bishop Immanuel Kerketta of Jashpur, chairperson of JPD in Chhattisgarh region and Fr. Sebatian Poomattam, vicar general of Raipur, also attended the consultation.
Fr Charles Irudayam, secretary of OJPD-CBCI, called for a social activism from the perspective of Christian spirituality. In his presentation he focussed on the vision and mission of JPD and the role towards building a just and peaceful society.
The main purpose of the consultation was to inspire, to guide and to animate at national level.
Gladson Dung Dung, a human right activist, presented the signs of the times, the main issues and major challenges faced by the country and religion. He highlighted the issues of the tribal and dalit such as displacement, allotment of budget and the right to life. He also focussed on the changes brought in the Land Acquisition Act, social impact assessment, and mandatory consent of community, food security, and liability of land and of utilization of the property.
Dungdung, who spoke on “Evidence based advocacy,” highlighted successful advocacy initiatives, Maoist movement and government move to curb and evidence-based gathering process.
Fr. Ajay Kumar Singh, a social activist and director of the Odisha Regional Forum from the archdiocese of Cuttack – Bhubaneswar, spoke about the empowerment of dalits and their problems in the region.
He cautioned about the hidden agenda of Hindu fundamental groups and stressed the need to share common heritage and work united toward an egalitarian and just human society.
High Court lawyer Sudha Bharadhwaj spoke on woman rights and issues. She pointed out the main issues such as male dominated society, working towards the dignity and equality of woman, displacement of woman and children, lack of woman leadership, sex discrimination, child labour and trafficking, domestic violence act, adivasis and dalit women suppression in the state of Chhattisgarh.