Appeal to observe AUGUST 10th as “Day of Mourning”

 

August 2, 2018

Warm greetings from NCCI – Dalit and Tribal/ Adivasi Concerns!

National Council of Churches in India – Dalit and Tribal/Adivasi Concerns and Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India – Office for SC/BC jointly appeal to the Churches and organisations to actively participate in observing ‘Day of Mourning’ on 10th August to raise our protest regarding the continual negligence of the government to the cry for the rights of Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims in the country.

This year we will use the term “Day of Mourning” instead of ‘Black Day’.  The concept of “Black v/s Fair” comes from the Brahminical mind-set that ‘black is ugly and fair is beautiful’. On the other hand, the Black people and the Dalits hail the colour and the word “Black”, and say “Black is Beautiful”. Hence, when we use the phrase Black Day for August 10th, we are assimilating and accepting the concept that Black is negative, ugly and sad.

The infamous Presidential (Scheduled Caste) Order 1950 was signed on 10th August 1950 by the then President of India. It says “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 we are all aware of, keeps the Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians from the Scheduled Castes list.

We request you to kindly observe ‘Day of Mourning’ on August 10th by organising protest meetings/ rallies/ demonstrations/ hunger fasts/ submitting memoranda/ candle vigils/ special prayers, and other appropriate programmes in your church/institution to express our solidarity with the suffering Christians and Muslims of Scheduled caste origin.

We would appreciate if you send couple of photos and a brief report of the observance to the undersigned.

Thanking you in anticipation,

With regards,

In Christ,

Pradip Bansrior
Executive Secretary,
Dalit and Tribal/ Adivasi Concerns,
National Council of Churches in India.

Email: dataconcerns@ncci1914.com

 

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