By Robancy A Helen
New Delhi, March 7, 2019: A program called “Bharat Ke Mann Ki Baat, Modi Ke Sath (Heart’s voice of India with Modi) was organized by the Ministry for Minority Affairs at Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi on March 7.
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Minister for Minority Affairs ministry and Thawar Chand Gehlot, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment ministry were present to solicit suggestions from the minority communities of India to build an inclusive nation. The suggestions will be included in the BJP party’s manifesto for 2019 general election.
Representatives from Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) Offices together with the CBCI Office for Dalits and Backward Classes and National Council of Dalit Christians (NCDC) attended the meeting and gave their suggestions.
The CBCI Office for SC/BC and NCDC submitted the memorandum to the ministers. It is an appeal to include the Dalit Christians and the Dalit Muslims in the Scheduled Caste list based on the resolution passed by the National Executive of the Minority Morcha of the BJP in November 2011.
Some of the key suggestion given by CBCI include: the Dalit Christians should be added in the Scheduled Caste status, the tribal land rights should be protected, the Christians educational institutions should be added in the drafting committee of the educational policies of the country, there should not be any discrimination on the basis of religion in the country, women should feel safe especially the Dalits and the Tribals.
Representatives from Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist and Parsi communities raised their concerns and suggested their suggestions to include them in the party manifesto.