MPs Protest in Parliament Premises for Minorities, Dalit Christian Rights

File photo of Gandhi Statue in the Parliament Complex, New Delhi.

Many Member of Parliaments (MPs) have protested in front of Gandhi Statue in the Parliament premises last Friday in protest against the communal situation in the country and the fear among religious minorities in the wake of Hashimpura Judgement which acquitted all the accused; and also they reiterated their demand for Dalit Muslims and Christians who are denied equal rights with their counterparts in other religions.

Regarding the Hashimpura Judgment, the protesters said the successive state government's negligence and failure in producing evidence before the court of law denied justice to the victims. The Delhi court in its ruling had acquitted in March all 16 accused of the 1987 Hashimpura massacre involving the killing of around 40 Muslim men.

"People of Minority communities specifically Christians and Muslim are living in pervasive insecurity," the protesting Members of Parliament said.

"The prevailing condition demands the voice of Public representatives inside the house and outside the hose as well. The state failure in producing evidence on Hashimpura case in the Court or the issue of Scheduled Caste Status to Christians and Muslims of Scheduled Caste Origin has its seeds in the attitude of Governance in delivering Justice to the Religious Minorities and Dalits," the statement said.

They said that although the UP government is going to appeal in the higher court, justice cannot be expected unless a reinvestigation is done under the supervision of Sitting Supreme Court Judge as the case recorded non-response to the trail Court.

"The authorities ignoring the Court orders, refusing to cooperate with Commissions of enquiry poses a challenge to the functioning of the biggest democracy of the World. Now the Union of India and the State governments are burdened to prove their faith in the constitution and allow its organs to function to meet the objective," they said.

The Protesters also came down heavily on the Presidential order of 1950, which barred Dalits from Muslim and Christian background to get Scheduled Caste status. They said this is "Unconstitutional."

The statement made by the protesters said, "Denying Scheduled caste status to Christians and Muslims of Scheduled caste origin in another case where the Union of India not responding since 2004. The promulgation of the Presidential order on 10th August 1950 itself without the approval of Provincial Parliament is Unconstitutional. This should be stopped immediately by delinking Scheduled caste status with religion and extending it to the communities of Scheduled caste origin irrespective of religion," the statement stated.

The protesting Member of Parliaments demand a thorough investigation under the supervision of sitting Supreme Court judge to ensure confidence among Citizenry on the governance and the justice delivery system beyond delivering Justice to the victims. The Union Government and the State Government should take every possible effort in bringing the culprits to the book.

They also demand the Union of India to Extend the Scheduled Caste Status to Christians and Muslims of Scheduled Caste origin.

"We Demand the Union of India to respond on both these cases and take appropriate action to upheld the Constitutional sprit and set-right the things for 'sab ka sath sab ka vikas,'" the statement concluded.